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Sample records for proteasome inhibitor rodent

  1. ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-L-cysteine antagonizes the activity of proteasome inhibitors.

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    Halasi, Marianna; Wang, Ming; Chavan, Tanmay S; Gaponenko, Vadim; Hay, Nissim; Gartel, Andrei L

    2013-09-01

    NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) is commonly used to identify and test ROS (reactive oxygen species) inducers, and to inhibit ROS. In the present study, we identified inhibition of proteasome inhibitors as a novel activity of NAC. Both NAC and catalase, another known scavenger of ROS, similarly inhibited ROS levels and apoptosis associated with H₂O₂. However, only NAC, and not catalase or another ROS scavenger Trolox, was able to prevent effects linked to proteasome inhibition, such as protein stabilization, apoptosis and accumulation of ubiquitin conjugates. These observations suggest that NAC has a dual activity as an inhibitor of ROS and proteasome inhibitors. Recently, NAC was used as a ROS inhibitor to functionally characterize a novel anticancer compound, piperlongumine, leading to its description as a ROS inducer. In contrast, our own experiments showed that this compound depicts features of proteasome inhibitors including suppression of FOXM1 (Forkhead box protein M1), stabilization of cellular proteins, induction of ROS-independent apoptosis and enhanced accumulation of ubiquitin conjugates. In addition, NAC, but not catalase or Trolox, interfered with the activity of piperlongumine, further supporting that piperlongumine is a proteasome inhibitor. Most importantly, we showed that NAC, but not other ROS scavengers, directly binds to proteasome inhibitors. To our knowledge, NAC is the first known compound that directly interacts with and antagonizes the activity of proteasome inhibitors. Taken together, the findings of the present study suggest that, as a result of the dual nature of NAC, data interpretation might not be straightforward when NAC is utilized as an antioxidant to demonstrate ROS involvement in drug-induced apoptosis.

  2. Synergistic apoptosis induction in leukemic cells by the phosphatase inhibitor salubrinal and proteasome inhibitors.

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    Hannes C A Drexler

    Full Text Available Cells adapt to endoplasmic reticulum (ER-stress by arresting global protein synthesis while simultaneously activating specific transcription factors and their downstream targets. These processes are mediated in part by the phosphorylation-dependent inactivation of the translation initiation factor eIF2alpha. Following restoration of homeostasis protein synthesis is resumed when the serine/threonine-protein phosphatase PP1 dephosphorylates and reactivates eIF2alpha. Proteasome inhibitors, used to treat multiple myeloma patients evoke ER-stress and apoptosis by blocking the ER-associated degradation of misfolded proteins (ERAD, however, the role of eIF2alpha phosphorylation in leukemic cells under conditions of proteasome inhibitor-mediated ER stress is currently unclear.Bcr-Abl-positive and negative leukemic cell lines were used to investigate the functional implications of PP1-related phosphatase activities on eIF2alpha phosphorylation in proteasome inhibitor-mediated ER stress and apoptosis. Rather unexpectedly, salubrinal, a recently identified PP1 inhibitor capable to protect against ER stress in various model systems, strongly synergized with proteasome inhibitors to augment apoptotic death of different leukemic cell lines. Salubrinal treatment did not affect the phosphorlyation status of eIF2alpha. Furthermore, the proapoptotic effect of salubrinal occurred independently from the chemical nature of the proteasome inhibitor, was recapitulated by a second unrelated phosphatase inhibitor and was unaffected by overexpression of a dominant negative eIF2alpha S51A variant that can not be phosphorylated. Salubrinal further aggravated ER-stress and proteotoxicity inflicted by the proteasome inhibitors on the leukemic cells since characteristic ER stress responses, such as ATF4 and CHOP synthesis, XBP1 splicing, activation of MAP kinases and eventually apoptosis were efficiently abrogated by the translational inhibitor cycloheximide.Although PP1

  3. Trial Watch: Proteasomal inhibitors for anticancer therapy.

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    Obrist, Florine; Manic, Gwenola; Kroemer, Guido; Vitale, Ilio; Galluzzi, Lorenzo

    2015-01-01

    The so-called "ubiquitin-proteasome system" (UPS) is a multicomponent molecular apparatus that catalyzes the covalent attachment of several copies of the small protein ubiquitin to other proteins that are generally (but not always) destined to proteasomal degradation. This enzymatic cascade is crucial for the maintenance of intracellular protein homeostasis (both in physiological conditions and in the course of adaptive stress responses), and regulates a wide array of signaling pathways. In line with this notion, defects in the UPS have been associated with aging as well as with several pathological conditions including cardiac, neurodegenerative, and neoplastic disorders. As transformed cells often experience a constant state of stress (as a result of the hyperactivation of oncogenic signaling pathways and/or adverse microenvironmental conditions), their survival and proliferation are highly dependent on the integrity of the UPS. This rationale has driven an intense wave of preclinical and clinical investigation culminating in 2003 with the approval of the proteasomal inhibitor bortezomib by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in multiple myeloma patients. Another proteasomal inhibitor, carfilzomib, is now licensed by international regulatory agencies for use in multiple myeloma patients, and the approved indications for bortezomib have been extended to mantle cell lymphoma. This said, the clinical activity of bortezomib and carfilzomib is often limited by off-target effects, innate/acquired resistance, and the absence of validated predictive biomarkers. Moreover, the antineoplastic activity of proteasome inhibitors against solid tumors is poor. In this Trial Watch we discuss the contribution of the UPS to oncogenesis and tumor progression and summarize the design and/or results of recent clinical studies evaluating the therapeutic profile of proteasome inhibitors in cancer patients.

  4. Structure- and function-based design of Plasmodium-selective proteasome inhibitors.

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    Li, Hao; O'Donoghue, Anthony J; van der Linden, Wouter A; Xie, Stanley C; Yoo, Euna; Foe, Ian T; Tilley, Leann; Craik, Charles S; da Fonseca, Paula C A; Bogyo, Matthew

    2016-02-11

    The proteasome is a multi-component protease complex responsible for regulating key processes such as the cell cycle and antigen presentation. Compounds that target the proteasome are potentially valuable tools for the treatment of pathogens that depend on proteasome function for survival and replication. In particular, proteasome inhibitors have been shown to be toxic for the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum at all stages of its life cycle. Most compounds that have been tested against the parasite also inhibit the mammalian proteasome, resulting in toxicity that precludes their use as therapeutic agents. Therefore, better definition of the substrate specificity and structural properties of the Plasmodium proteasome could enable the development of compounds with sufficient selectivity to allow their use as anti-malarial agents. To accomplish this goal, here we use a substrate profiling method to uncover differences in the specificities of the human and P. falciparum proteasome. We design inhibitors based on amino-acid preferences specific to the parasite proteasome, and find that they preferentially inhibit the β2-subunit. We determine the structure of the P. falciparum 20S proteasome bound to the inhibitor using cryo-electron microscopy and single-particle analysis, to a resolution of 3.6 Å. These data reveal the unusually open P. falciparum β2 active site and provide valuable information about active-site architecture that can be used to further refine inhibitor design. Furthermore, consistent with the recent finding that the proteasome is important for stress pathways associated with resistance of artemisinin family anti-malarials, we observe growth inhibition synergism with low doses of this β2-selective inhibitor in artemisinin-sensitive and -resistant parasites. Finally, we demonstrate that a parasite-selective inhibitor could be used to attenuate parasite growth in vivo without appreciable toxicity to the host. Thus, the Plasmodium proteasome is a

  5. Structure and function based design of Plasmodium-selective proteasome inhibitors

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    Li, Hao; O'Donoghue, Anthony J.; van der Linden, Wouter A.; Xie, Stanley C.; Yoo, Euna; Foe, Ian T.; Tilley, Leann; Craik, Charles S.; da Fonseca, Paula C. A.; Bogyo, Matthew

    2016-01-01

    The proteasome is a multi-component protease complex responsible for regulating key processes such as the cell cycle and antigen presentation1. Compounds that target the proteasome are potentially valuable tools for the treatment of pathogens that depend on proteasome function for survival and replication. In particular, proteasome inhibitors have been shown to be toxic for the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum at all stages of its life cycle2-5. Most compounds that have been tested against the parasite also inhibit the mammalian proteasome resulting in toxicity that precludes their use as therapeutic agents2,6. Therefore, better definition of the substrate specificity and structural properties of the Plasmodium proteasome could enable the development of compounds with sufficient selectivity to allow their use as anti-malarial agents. To accomplish this goal, we used a substrate profiling method to uncover differences in the specificities of the human and P. falciparum proteasome. We designed inhibitors based on amino acid preferences specific to the parasite proteasome, and found that they preferentially inhibit the β 2 subunit. We determined the structure of the P. falciparum 20S proteasome bound to the inhibitor using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and single particle analysis, to a resolution of 3.6 Å. These data reveal the unusually open P. falciparum β2 active site and provide valuable information regarding active site architecture that can be used to further refine inhibitor design. Furthermore, consistent with the recent finding that the proteasome is important for stress pathways associated with resistance of artemisinin (ART) family anti-malarials7,8, we observed growth inhibition synergism with low doses of this β 2 selective inhibitor in ART sensitive and resistant parasites. Finally, we demonstrated that a parasite selective inhibitor could be used to attenuate parasite growth in vivo without significant toxicity to the host. Thus, the

  6. Inhibitors of the proteasome suppress homologous DNA recombination in mammalian cells.

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    Murakawa, Yasuhiro; Sonoda, Eiichiro; Barber, Louise J; Zeng, Weihua; Yokomori, Kyoko; Kimura, Hiroshi; Niimi, Atsuko; Lehmann, Alan; Zhao, Guang Yu; Hochegger, Helfrid; Boulton, Simon J; Takeda, Shunichi

    2007-09-15

    Proteasome inhibitors are novel antitumor agents against multiple myeloma and other malignancies. Despite the increasing clinical application, the molecular basis of their antitumor effect has been poorly understood due to the involvement of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in multiple cellular metabolisms. Here, we show that treatment of cells with proteasome inhibitors has no significant effect on nonhomologous end joining but suppresses homologous recombination (HR), which plays a key role in DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. In this study, we treat human cells with proteasome inhibitors and show that the inhibition of the proteasome reduces the efficiency of HR-dependent repair of an artificial HR substrate. We further show that inhibition of the proteasome interferes with the activation of Rad51, a key factor for HR, although it does not affect the activation of ATM, gammaH2AX, or Mre11. These data show that the proteasome-mediated destruction is required for the promotion of HR at an early step. We suggest that the defect in HR-mediated DNA repair caused by proteasome inhibitors contributes to antitumor effect, as HR plays an essential role in cellular proliferation. Moreover, because HR plays key roles in the repair of DSBs caused by chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin and by radiotherapy, proteasome inhibitors may enhance the efficacy of these treatments through the suppression of HR-mediated DNA repair pathways.

  7. Studies on terrein as a new class of proteasome inhibitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demasi, M.; Felicio, A.L.; Lima, C.; Pacheco, A.O.; Leite, H.G.; Andrade, L.H.

    2010-01-01

    The proteasome is an intracellular multicatalytic protease involved in the cell cycle regulation, signaling response, antigen presentation and apoptosis. Since proteasome inhibitors promote cell death by apoptosis, they have been proposed as new anti-tumoral drugs. Terrein, a secondary metabolite secreted by the fungus Aspergillus terreus, was firstly described in 1935. In the present work we report that terrein isolated through the screening for inhibitors of the 20S proteasome showed inhibitory effect upon both chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like activities of the multicatalytic core particle, the 20S proteasome. Despite of the high inhibitory concentration determined in vitro, that verified by incubating cells (fibroblasts and a pulmonary tumor cell line) in the presence of terrein was 4-fold lower indicating the proteasome as a selective intracellular target. Moreover, terrein promoted apoptotic cell death on both fibroblasts and pulmonary tumor cell line tested. Although terrein concentrations (mM range) necessary to elicit apoptosis in the cellular models herein tried were high when compared to those (muM and nM range) of other inhibitors recently described, its chemical structure is not correlated to any other inhibitor reported thus far. Therefore, the present results point out for the possibility of exploring terrein as a new molecular fragment for the development of synthetic proteasome inhibitors. (author)

  8. Use of proteasome inhibitors in anticancer therapy

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    Sara M. Schmitt

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available The importance of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to cellular function has brought it to the forefront in the search for new anticancer therapies. The ubiquitin-proteasome pathway has proven promising in targeting various human cancers. The approval of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib for clinical treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma has validated the ubiquitin-proteasome as a rational target. Bortezomib has shown positive results in clinical use but some toxicity and side effects, as well as resistance, have been observed, indicating that further development of novel, less toxic drugs is necessary. Because less toxic drugs are necessary and drug development can be expensive and time-consuming, using existing drugs that can target the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in new applications, such as cancer therapy, may be effective in expediting the regulatory process and bringing new drugs to the clinic. Toward this goal, previously approved drugs, such as disulfiram, as well as natural compounds found in common foods, such as green tea polyphenol (--EGCG and the flavonoid apigenin, have been investigated for their possible proteasome inhibitory and cell death inducing abilities. These compounds proved quite promising in preclinical studies and have now moved into clinical trials, with preliminary results that are encouraging. In addition to targeting the catalytic activity of the proteasome pathway, upstream regulators, such as the 19S regulatory cap, as well as E1, E2, and E3, are now being investigated as potential drug targets. This review outlines the development of novel proteasome inhibitors from preclinical to clinical studies, highlighting their abilities to inhibit the tumor proteasome and induce apoptosis in several human cancers.

  9. Proteasome inhibitors induce apoptosis and reduce viral replication in primary effusion lymphoma cells

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    Saji, Chiaki [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812 (Japan); Higashi, Chizuka; Niinaka, Yasufumi [Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Chuoh-shi 409-3898 (Japan); Yamada, Koji [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0812 (Japan); Noguchi, Kohji [Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University, 1-5-30 Shiba-koen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8512 (Japan); Fujimuro, Masahiro, E-mail: fuji2@mb.kyoto-phu.ac.jp [Department of Cell Biology, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Misasagi-Shichonocho 1, Yamashinaku, Kyoto 607-8412 (Japan)

    2011-12-02

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Constitutive NF-{kappa}B signaling is essential for the survival and growth of PEL cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NF-{kappa}B signaling is upregulated by the proteasome-dependent degradation of I{kappa}B{alpha}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Proteasome inhibitors suppress NF-{kappa}B signaling and induce apoptosis in PEL cells through stabilization of I{kappa}B{alpha}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Proteasome inhibitors suppress viral replication in PEL cells during lytic KSHV infection. -- Abstract: Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is an aggressive neoplasm caused by Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). This study provides evidence that proteasomal activity is required for both survival of PEL cells stably harboring the KSHV genome and viral replication of KSHV. We evaluated the cytotoxic effects of proteasome inhibitors on PEL cells. The proteasome inhibitors MG132, lactacystin, and proteasome inhibitor I dramatically inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis of PEL cells through the accumulation of p21 and p27. Furthermore, proteasome inhibitors induced the stabilization of NF-{kappa}B inhibitory molecule (I{kappa}B{alpha}) and suppressed the transcriptional activity of NF-{kappa}B in PEL cells. The NF-{kappa}B specific inhibitor BAY11-7082 also induced apoptosis in PEL cells. The constitutive activation of NF-{kappa}B signaling is essential for the survival and growth of B cell lymphoma cells, including PEL cells. NF-{kappa}B signaling is upregulated by proteasome-dependent degradation of I{kappa}B{alpha}. The suppression of NF-{kappa}B signaling by proteasome inhibitors may contribute to the induction of apoptosis in PEL cells. In addition, proteasome activity is required for KSHV replication in KSHV latently infected PEL cells. MG132 reduced the production of progeny virus from PEL cells at low concentrations, which do not affect PEL cell growth. These findings suggest that proteasome

  10. Antitumorigenic effect of proteasome inhibitors on insulinoma cells

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    Størling, Joachim; Allaman-Pillet, Nathalie; Karlsen, Allan E

    2004-01-01

    inhibition of the proteasome has an antitumorigenic potential in insulinoma cells. Exposure of mouse betaTC3 insulinoma cells to the proteasome inhibitor N-Acetyl-Leu-Leu-Nle-CHO (ALLN) reduced cell viability, activated caspase-3, induced apoptosis, and suppressed insulin release. Treatment with ALLN also...

  11. FoxM1 is a general target for proteasome inhibitors.

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    Uppoor G Bhat

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Proteasome inhibitors are currently in the clinic or in clinical trials, but the mechanism of their anticancer activity is not completely understood. The oncogenic transcription factor FoxM1 is one of the most overexpressed genes in human tumors, while its expression is usually halted in normal non-proliferating cells. Previously, we established that thiazole antibiotics Siomycin A and thiostrepton inhibit FoxM1 and induce apoptosis in human cancer cells. Here, we report that Siomycin A and thiostrepton stabilize the expression of a variety of proteins, such as p21, Mcl-1, p53 and hdm-2 and also act as proteasome inhibitors in vitro. More importantly, we also found that well-known proteasome inhibitors such as MG115, MG132 and bortezomib inhibit FoxM1 transcriptional activity and FoxM1 expression. In addition, overexpression of FoxM1 specifically protects against bortezomib-, but not doxorubicin-induced apoptosis. These data suggest that negative regulation of FoxM1 by proteasome inhibitors is a general feature of these drugs and it may contribute to their anticancer properties.

  12. Peptide-based proteasome inhibitors in anticancer drug design.

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    Micale, Nicola; Scarbaci, Kety; Troiano, Valeria; Ettari, Roberta; Grasso, Silvana; Zappalà, Maria

    2014-09-01

    The identification of the key role of the eukaryotic 26S proteasome in regulated intracellular proteolysis and its importance as a target in many pathological conditions wherein the proteasomal activity is defective (e.g., malignancies, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.) prompted several research groups to the development of specific inhibitors of this multicatalytic complex with the aim of obtaining valid drug candidates. In regard to the anticancer therapy, the peptide boronate bortezomib (Velcade®) represents the first molecule approved by FDA for the treatment of multiple myeloma in 2003 and mantle cell lymphoma in 2006. Since then, a plethora of molecules targeting the proteasome have been identified as potential anticancer agents and a few of them reached clinical trials or are already in the market (i.e., carfilzomib; Kyprolis®). In most cases, the design of new proteasome inhibitors (PIs) takes into account a proven peptide or pseudopeptide motif as a base structure and places other chemical entities throughout the peptide skeleton in such a way to create an efficacious network of interactions within the catalytic sites. The purpose of this review is to provide an in-depth look at the current state of the research in the field of peptide-based PIs, specifically those ones that might find an application as anticancer agents. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Discovery and development of inhibitors selective for human constitutive proteasome and immunoproteasome active sites

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Xin, B.

    2017-01-01

    This thesis describes the design and development of subunit‐selective inhibitors of particular catalytically active subunits of human constitutive proteasomes and immunoproteasomes. Most existing proteasome inhibitors are oligopeptides composed of 2‐4 amino acid residues, N‐terminally

  14. Molecular mechanisms for synergistic effect of proteasome inhibitors with platinum-based therapy in solid tumors.

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    Chao, Angel; Wang, Tzu-Hao

    2016-02-01

    The successful development of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib as an anticancer drug has improved survival in patients with multiple myeloma. With the emergence of the newly US Food and Drug Administration-approved proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib, ongoing trials are investigating this compound and other proteasome inhibitors either alone or in combination with other chemotherapy drugs. However, in solid tumors, the efficacy of proteasome inhibitors has not lived up to expectations. Results regarding the potential clinical efficacy of bortezomib combined with other agents in the treatment of solid tumors are eagerly awaited. Recent identification of the molecular mechanisms (involving apoptosis and autophagy) by which bortezomib and cisplatin can overcome chemotherapy resistance and sensitize tumor cells to anticancer therapy can provide insights into the development of novel therapeutic strategies for patients with solid malignancies. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Assessing subunit dependency of the Plasmodium proteasome using small molecule inhibitors and active site probes.

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    Li, Hao; van der Linden, Wouter A; Verdoes, Martijn; Florea, Bogdan I; McAllister, Fiona E; Govindaswamy, Kavitha; Elias, Joshua E; Bhanot, Purnima; Overkleeft, Herman S; Bogyo, Matthew

    2014-08-15

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a potential pathway for therapeutic intervention for pathogens such as Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria. However, due to the essential nature of this proteolytic pathway, proteasome inhibitors must avoid inhibition of the host enzyme complex to prevent toxic side effects. The Plasmodium proteasome is poorly characterized, making rational design of inhibitors that induce selective parasite killing difficult. In this study, we developed a chemical probe that labels all catalytic sites of the Plasmodium proteasome. Using this probe, we identified several subunit selective small molecule inhibitors of the parasite enzyme complex. Treatment with an inhibitor that is specific for the β5 subunit during blood stage schizogony led to a dramatic decrease in parasite replication while short-term inhibition of the β2 subunit did not affect viability. Interestingly, coinhibition of both the β2 and β5 catalytic subunits resulted in enhanced parasite killing at all stages of the blood stage life cycle and reduced parasite levels in vivo to barely detectable levels. Parasite killing was achieved with overall low host toxicity, something that has not been possible with existing proteasome inhibitors. Our results highlight differences in the subunit dependency of the parasite and human proteasome, thus providing a strategy for development of potent antimalarial drugs with overall low host toxicity.

  16. Discovery of an Inhibitor of the Proteasome Subunit Rpn11.

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    Perez, Christian; Li, Jing; Parlati, Francesco; Rouffet, Matthieu; Ma, Yuyong; Mackinnon, Andrew L; Chou, Tsui-Fen; Deshaies, Raymond J; Cohen, Seth M

    2017-02-23

    The proteasome plays a crucial role in degradation of normal proteins that happen to be constitutively or inducibly unstable, and in this capacity it plays a regulatory role. Additionally, it degrades abnormal/damaged/mutant/misfolded proteins, which serves a quality-control function. Inhibitors of the proteasome have been validated in the treatment of multiple myeloma, with several FDA-approved therapeutics. Rpn11 is a Zn 2+ -dependent metalloisopeptidase that hydrolyzes ubiquitin from tagged proteins that are trafficked to the proteasome for degradation. A fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) approach was utilized to identify fragments with activity against Rpn11. Screening of a library of metal-binding pharmacophores (MBPs) revealed that 8-thioquinoline (8TQ, IC 50 value ∼2.5 μM) displayed strong inhibition of Rpn11. Further synthetic elaboration of 8TQ yielded a small molecule compound (35, IC 50 value ∼400 nM) that is a potent and selective inhibitor of Rpn11 that blocks proliferation of tumor cells in culture.

  17. Exploiting nature's rich source of proteasome inhibitors as starting points in drug development.

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    Gräwert, Melissa Ann; Groll, Michael

    2012-02-01

    Cancer is the No. 2 cause of death in the Western world and one of the most expensive diseases to treat. Thus, it is not surprising, that every major pharmaceutical and biotechnology company has a blockbuster oncology product. In 2003, Millennium Pharmaceuticals entered the race with Velcade®, a first-in-class proteasome inhibitor that has been approved by the FDA for treatment of multiple myeloma and its sales have passed the billion dollar mark. Velcade®'s extremely toxic boronic acid pharmacophore, however, contributes to a number of severe side effects. Nevertheless, the launching of this product has validated the proteasome as a target in fighting cancer and further proteasome inhibitors have entered the market as anti-cancer drugs. Additionally, proteasome inhibitors have found application as crop protection agents, anti-parasitics, immunosuppressives, as well as in new therapies for muscular dystrophies and inflammation. Many of these compounds are based on microbial metabolites. In this review, we emphasize the important role of the structural elucidation of the various unique binding mechanisms of these compounds that have been optimized throughout evolution to target the proteasome. Based on this knowledge, medicinal chemists have further optimized these natural products, resulting in potential drugs with reduced off-target activities. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012

  18. HDAC inhibitor L-carnitine and proteasome inhibitor bortezomib synergistically exert anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo.

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    Hongbiao Huang

    Full Text Available Combinations of proteasome inhibitors and histone deacetylases (HDAC inhibitors appear to be the most potent to produce synergistic cytotoxicity in preclinical trials. We have recently confirmed that L-carnitine (LC is an endogenous HDAC inhibitor. In the current study, the anti-tumor effect of LC plus proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (velcade, Vel was investigated both in cultured hepatoma cancer cells and in Balb/c mice bearing HepG2 tumor. Cell death and cell viability were assayed by flow cytometry and MTS, respectively. Gene, mRNA expression and protein levels were detected by gene microarray, quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. The effect of Vel on the acetylation of histone H3 associated with the p21(cip1 gene promoter was examined by using ChIP assay and proteasome peptidase activity was detected by cell-based chymotrypsin-like (CT-like activity assay. Here we report that (i the combination of LC and Vel synergistically induces cytotoxicity in vitro; (ii the combination also synergistically inhibits tumor growth in vivo; (iii two major pathways are involved in the synergistical effects of the combinational treatment: increased p21(cip1 expression and histone acetylation in vitro and in vivo and enhanced Vel-induced proteasome inhibition by LC. The synergistic effect of LC and Vel in cancer therapy should have great potential in the future clinical trials.

  19. Combination of Proteasomal Inhibitors Lactacystin and MG132 Induced Synergistic Apoptosis in Prostate Cancer Cells

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    Robert B. Shirley

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available The proteasome inhibitor Velcade (bortezomib/PS-341 has been shown to block the targeted proteolytic degradation of short-lived proteins that are involved in cell maintenance, growth, division, and death, advocating the use of proteasomal inhibitors as therapeutic agents. Although many studies focused on the use of one proteasomal inhibitor for therapy, we hypothesized that the combination of proteasome inhibitors Lactacystin (AG Scientific, Inc., San Diego, CA and MG132 (Biomol International, Plymouth Meeting, PA may be more effective in inducing apoptosis. Additionally, this regimen would enable the use of sublethal doses of individual drugs, thus reducing adverse effects. Results indicate a significant increase in apoptosis when LNCaP prostate cancer cells were treated with increasing levels of Lactacystin, MG132, or a combination of sublethal doses of these two inhibitors. Furthermore, induction in apoptosis coincided with a significant loss of IKKα, IKKβ, and IKKγ proteins and NFκB activity. In addition to describing effective therapeutic agents, we provide a model system to facilitate the investigation of the mechanism of action of these drugs and their effects on the IKK-NFκB axis.

  20. Validation of the 2nd Generation Proteasome Inhibitor Oprozomib for Local Therapy of Pulmonary Fibrosis.

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    Nora Semren

    Full Text Available Proteasome inhibition has been shown to prevent development of fibrosis in several organs including the lung. However, effects of proteasome inhibitors on lung fibrosis are controversial and cytotoxic side effects of the overall inhibition of proteasomal protein degradation cannot be excluded. Therefore, we hypothesized that local lung-specific application of a novel, selective proteasome inhibitor, oprozomib (OZ, provides antifibrotic effects without systemic toxicity in a mouse model of lung fibrosis. Oprozomib was first tested on the human alveolar epithelial cancer cell line A549 and in primary mouse alveolar epithelial type II cells regarding its cytotoxic effects on alveolar epithelial cells and compared to the FDA approved proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BZ. OZ was less toxic than BZ and provided high selectivity for the chymotrypsin-like active site of the proteasome. In primary mouse lung fibroblasts, OZ showed significant anti-fibrotic effects, i.e. reduction of collagen I and α smooth muscle actin expression, in the absence of cytotoxicity. When applied locally into the lungs of healthy mice via instillation, OZ was well tolerated and effectively reduced proteasome activity in the lungs. In bleomycin challenged mice, however, locally applied OZ resulted in accelerated weight loss and increased mortality of treated mice. Further, OZ failed to reduce fibrosis in these mice. While upon systemic application OZ was well tolerated in healthy mice, it rather augmented instead of attenuated fibrotic remodelling of the lung in bleomycin challenged mice. To conclude, low toxicity and antifibrotic effects of OZ in pulmonary fibroblasts could not be confirmed for pulmonary fibrosis of bleomycin-treated mice. In light of these data, the use of proteasome inhibitors as therapeutic agents for the treatment of fibrotic lung diseases should thus be considered with caution.

  1. Paradoxical resistance of multiple myeloma to proteasome inhibitors by decreased levels of 19S proteasomal subunits

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Acosta-Alvear, Diego; Cho, Min Y; Wild, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    Hallmarks of cancer, including rapid growth and aneuploidy, can result in non-oncogene addiction to the proteostasis network that can be exploited clinically. The defining example is the exquisite sensitivity of multiple myeloma (MM) to 20S proteasome inhibitors, such as carfilzomib. However, MM...

  2. Repression of protein translation and mTOR signaling by proteasome inhibitor in colon cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, William Ka Kei; Volta, Viviana; Cho, Chi Hin; Wu, Ya Chun; Li, Hai Tao; Yu, Le; Li, Zhi Jie; Sung, Joseph Jao Yiu

    2009-01-01

    Protein homeostasis relies on a balance between protein synthesis and protein degradation. The ubiquitin-proteasome system is a major catabolic pathway for protein degradation. In this respect, proteasome inhibition has been used therapeutically for the treatment of cancer. Whether inhibition of protein degradation by proteasome inhibitor can repress protein translation via a negative feedback mechanism, however, is unknown. In this study, proteasome inhibitor MG-132 lowered the proliferation of colon cancer cells HT-29 and SW1116. In this connection, MG-132 reduced the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) at Ser2448 and Ser2481 and the phosphorylation of its downstream targets 4E-BP1 and p70/p85 S6 kinases. Further analysis revealed that MG-132 inhibited protein translation as evidenced by the reductions of 35 S-methionine incorporation and polysomes/80S ratio. Knockdown of raptor, a structural component of mTOR complex 1, mimicked the anti-proliferative effect of MG-132. To conclude, we demonstrate that the inhibition of protein degradation by proteasome inhibitor represses mTOR signaling and protein translation in colon cancer cells.

  3. Inhibitors of the proteasome reduce the accelerated proteolysis in atrophying rat skeletal muscles.

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    Tawa, N E; Odessey, R; Goldberg, A L

    1997-07-01

    Several observations have suggested that the enhanced proteolysis and atrophy of skeletal muscle in various pathological states is due primarily to activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. To test this idea, we investigated whether peptide aldehyde inhibitors of the proteasome, N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (LLN), or the more potent CBZ-leucyl-leucyl-leucinal (MG132) suppressed proteolysis in incubated rat skeletal muscles. These agents (e.g., MG132 at 10 microM) inhibited nonlysosomal protein breakdown by up to 50% (P protein synthesis or amino acid pools, but improved overall protein balance in the muscle. Upon treatment with MG132, ubiquitin-conjugated proteins accumulated in the muscle. The inhibition of muscle proteolysis correlated with efficacy against the proteasome, although these agents could also inhibit calpain-dependent proteolysis induced with Ca2+. These inhibitors had much larger effects on proteolysis in atrophying muscles than in controls. In the denervated soleus undergoing atrophy, the increase in ATP-dependent proteolysis was reduced 70% by MG132 (P muscle proteolysis induced by administering thyroid hormones was reduced 40-70% by the inhibitors. Finally, in rats made septic by cecal puncture, the increase in muscle proteolysis was completely blocked by MG132. Thus, the enhanced proteolysis in many catabolic states (including denervation, hyperthyroidism, and sepsis) is due to a proteasome-dependent pathway, and inhibition of proteasome function may be a useful approach to reduce muscle wasting.

  4. Therapeutic Strategies against Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated Cancers Using Proteasome Inhibitors.

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    Hui, Kwai Fung; Tam, Kam Pui; Chiang, Alan Kwok Shing

    2017-11-21

    Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is closely associated with several lymphomas (endemic Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma) and epithelial cancers (nasopharyngeal carcinoma and gastric carcinoma). To maintain its persistence in the host cells, the virus manipulates the ubiquitin-proteasome system to regulate viral lytic reactivation, modify cell cycle checkpoints, prevent apoptosis and evade immune surveillance. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of the mechanisms by which the virus manipulates the ubiquitin-proteasome system in EBV-associated lymphoid and epithelial malignancies, to evaluate the efficacy of proteasome inhibitors on the treatment of these cancers and discuss potential novel viral-targeted treatment strategies against the EBV-associated cancers.

  5. Assessing Subunit Dependency of the Plasmodium Proteasome Using Small Molecule Inhibitors and Active Site Probes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Li, H.; Linden, W.A. van der; Verdoes, M.; Florea, B.I.; McAllister, F.E.; Govindaswamy, K.; Elias, J.E.; Bhanot, P.; Overkleeft, H.S.; Bogyo, M.

    2014-01-01

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a potential pathway for therapeutic intervention for pathogens such as Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria. However, due to the essential nature of this proteolytic pathway, proteasome inhibitors must avoid inhibition of the host enzyme complex to

  6. Comprehensive study of proteasome inhibitors against Plasmodium falciparum laboratory strains and field isolates from Gabon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kremsner Peter G

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to almost all available antimalarial drugs necessitates the search for new chemotherapeutic compounds. The ubiquitin/proteasome system plays a major role in overall protein turnover, especially in fast dividing eukaryotic cells including plasmodia. Previous studies show that the 20S proteasome is expressed and catalytically active in plasmodia and treatment with proteasome inhibitors arrests parasite growth. This is the first comprehensive screening of proteasome inhibitors with different chemical modes of action against laboratory strains of P. falciparum. Subsequently, a selection of inhibitors was tested in field isolates from Lambaréné, Gabon. Methods Epoxomicin, YU101, YU102, MG132, MG115, Z-L3-VS, Ada-Ahx3-L3-VS, lactacystin, bortezomib (Velcade®, gliotoxin, PR11 and PR39 were tested and compared to chloroquine- and artesunate-activities in a standardized in vitro drug susceptibility assay against P. falciparum laboratory strains 3D7, D10 and Dd2. Freshly obtained field isolates from Lambaréné, Gabon, were used to measure the activity of chloroquine, artesunate, epoxomicin, MG132, lactacystin and bortezomib. Parasite growth was detected through histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2 production. Raw data were fitted by a four-parameter logistic model and individual inhibitory concentrations (50%, 90%, and 99% were calculated. Results Amongst all proteasome inhibitors tested, epoxomicin showed the highest activity in chloroquine-susceptible (IC50: 6.8 nM [3D7], 1.7 nM [D10] and in chloroquine-resistant laboratory strains (IC50: 10.4 nM [Dd2] as well as in field isolates (IC50: 8.5 nM. The comparator drug artesunate was even more active (IC50: 1.0 nM, whereas all strains were chloroquine-resistant (IC50: 113 nM. Conclusion The peptide α',β'-epoxyketone epoxomicin is highly active against P. falciparum regardless the grade of the parasite's chloroquine

  7. Inhibitors of the proteasome reduce the accelerated proteolysis in atrophying rat skeletal muscles.

    OpenAIRE

    Tawa, N E; Odessey, R; Goldberg, A L

    1997-01-01

    Several observations have suggested that the enhanced proteolysis and atrophy of skeletal muscle in various pathological states is due primarily to activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. To test this idea, we investigated whether peptide aldehyde inhibitors of the proteasome, N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (LLN), or the more potent CBZ-leucyl-leucyl-leucinal (MG132) suppressed proteolysis in incubated rat skeletal muscles. These agents (e.g., MG132 at 10 microM) inhibited nonlyso...

  8. Targeting neuroblastoma stem cells with retinoic acid and proteasome inhibitor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Hämmerle

    Full Text Available Neuroblastma cell lines contain a side-population of cells which express stemness markers. These stem-like cells may represent the potential underlying mechanism for resistance to conventional therapy and recurrence of neuroblastoma in patients.To develop novel strategies for targeting the side-population of neurobastomas, we analyzed the effects of 13-cis-retinoic acid (RA combined with the proteasome inhibitor MG132. The short-term action of the treatment was compared with effects after a 5-day recovery period during which both chemicals were withdrawn. RA induced growth arrest and differentiation of SH-SY5Y and SK-N-BE(2 neuroblastoma cell lines. Inhibition of the proteasome caused apoptosis in both cell lines, thus, revealing the critical role of this pathway in the regulated degradation of proteins involved in neuroblastoma proliferation and survival. The combination of RA with MG132 induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, in addition to promoting G2/M arrest in treated cultures. Interestingly, expression of stem cell markers such as Nestin, Sox2, and Oct4 were reduced after the recovery period of combined treatment as compared with untreated cells or treated cells with either compound alone. Consistent with this, neurosphere formation was significantly impaired by the combined treatment of RA and MG132.Given that stem-like cells are associated with resistant to conventional therapy and are thought to be responsible for relapse, our results suggest that dual therapy of RA and proteasome inhibitor might be beneficial for targeting the side-population of cells associated residual disease in high-risk neuroblastoma.

  9. Fem1b, a proapoptotic protein, mediates proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis of human colon cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subauste, M Cecilia; Sansom, Owen J; Porecha, Nehal; Raich, Natacha; Du, Liqin; Maher, Joseph F

    2010-02-01

    In the treatment of colon cancer, the development of resistance to apoptosis is a major factor in resistance to therapy. New molecular approaches to overcome apoptosis resistance, such as selectively upregulating proapoptotic proteins, are needed in colon cancer therapy. In a mouse model with inactivation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) tumor suppressor gene, reflecting the pathogenesis of most human colon cancers, the gene encoding feminization-1 homolog b (Fem1b) is upregulated in intestinal epithelium following Apc inactivation. Fem1b is a proapoptotic protein that interacts with apoptosis-inducing proteins Fas, tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1), and apoptotic protease activating factor-1 (Apaf-1). Increasing Fem1b expression induces apoptosis of cancer cells, but effects on colon cancer cells have not been reported. Fem1b is a homolog of feminization-1 (FEM-1), a protein in Caenorhabditis elegans that is regulated by proteasomal degradation, but whether Fem1b is likewise regulated by proteasomal degradation is unknown. Herein, we found that Fem1b protein is expressed in primary human colon cancer specimens, and in malignant SW620, HCT-116, and DLD-1 colon cancer cells. Increasing Fem1b expression, by transfection of a Fem1b expression construct, induced apoptosis of these cells. We found that proteasome inhibitor treatment of SW620, HCT-116, and DLD-1 cells caused upregulation of Fem1b protein levels, associated with induction of apoptosis. Blockade of Fem1b upregulation with morpholino antisense oligonucleotide suppressed the proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis of these cells. In conclusion, the proapoptotic protein Fem1b is downregulated by the proteasome in malignant colon cancer cells and mediates proteasome inhibitor-induced apoptosis of these cells. Therefore, Fem1b could represent a novel molecular target to overcome apoptosis resistance in therapy of colon cancer.

  10. On the role of proteasomes in cell biology and proteasome inhibition as a novel frontier in the development of immunosuppressants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Jiangping

    2002-11-01

    The proteasome, a large protease complex in cells, is the major machinery for protein degradation. It was previously considered a humble garbage collector, performing housekeeping duties to remove misfolded or spent proteins. Until recently, the interests of immunologists in proteasomes were focused largely on its role in antigen processing. Its real importance in cell biology has only been revealed contemporarily due to the availability of relatively specific inhibitors. It has now become increasingly clear that many aspects of immune responses highly depend on proper proteasome activity. Recently, a proteasome inhibitor has been successfully used to prevent acute as well as ongoing heart allograft rejection in mice. Such inhibitors are also efficacious in treating several autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis, psoriasis, and probably type I diabetes, in animal models. Phase II and III clinical trials of proteasome inhibitors in treating various tumors have shown promising results, and the side-effects of these drugs are tolerable. Therefore, proteasome inhibition represents a new and promising frontier in immunosuppressant development.

  11. Design, synthesis and docking studies of novel dipeptidyl boronic acid proteasome inhibitors constructed from αα- and αβ-amino acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Jingmiao; Lei, Meng; Wu, Wenkui; Feng, Huayun; Wang, Jia; Chen, Shanshan; Zhu, Yongqiang; Hu, Shihe; Liu, Zhaogang; Jiang, Cheng

    2016-04-15

    A series of novel dipeptidyl boronic acid proteasome inhibitors constructed from αα- and αβ-amino acids were designed and synthesized. Their structures were elucidated by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, LC-MS and HRMS. These compounds were evaluated for their β5 subunit inhibitory activities of human proteasome. The results showed that dipeptidyl boronic acid inhibitors composed of αα-amino acids were as active as bortezomib. Interestingly, the activities of those derived from αβ-amino acids lost completely. Of all the inhibitors, compound 22 (IC50=4.82 nM) was the most potent for the inhibition of proteasome activity. Compound 22 was also the most active against three MM cell lines with IC50 values less than 5 nM in inhibiting cell growth assays. Molecular docking studies displayed that 22 fitted very well in the β5 subunit active pocket of proteasome. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  12. The Proteasome Inhibitor Bortezomib Sensitizes AML with Myelomonocytic Differentiation to TRAIL Mediated Apoptosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dijk, Marianne van; Murphy, Eoin [Apoptosis Research Center, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); Morrell, Ruth [Apoptosis Research Center, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); Knapper, Steven [Department of Haematology, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Heath Park, CF14 4XN Cardiff (United Kingdom); O' Dwyer, Michael [Apoptosis Research Center, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); School of Medicine, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); Samali, Afshin; Szegezdi, Eva, E-mail: eva.szegezdi@nuigalway.ie [Apoptosis Research Center, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland); School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, University Road, Galway (Ireland)

    2011-03-15

    Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive stem cell malignancy that is difficult to treat. There are limitations to the current treatment regimes especially after disease relapse, and therefore new therapeutic agents are urgently required which can overcome drug resistance whilst avoiding unnecessary toxicity. Among newer targeted agents, both tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) and proteasome inhibitors show particular promise. In this report we show that a combination of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and TRAIL is effective against AML cell lines, in particular, AML cell lines displaying myelomonocytic/monocytic phenotype (M4/M5 AML based on FAB classification), which account for 20-30% of AML cases. We show that the underlying mechanism of sensitization is at least in part due to bortezomib mediated downregulation of c-FLIP and XIAP, which is likely to be regulated by NF-κB. Blockage of NF-κB activation with BMS-345541 equally sensitized myelomonocytic AML cell lines and primary AML blasts to TRAIL.

  13. Targeting proteasomes in infectious organisms to combat disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bibo-Verdugo, Betsaida; Jiang, Zhenze; Caffrey, Conor R; O'Donoghue, Anthony J

    2017-05-01

    Proteasomes are multisubunit, energy-dependent, proteolytic complexes that play an essential role in intracellular protein turnover. They are present in eukaryotes, archaea, and in some actinobacteria species. Inhibition of proteasome activity has emerged as a powerful strategy for anticancer therapy and three drugs have been approved for treatment of multiple myeloma. These compounds react covalently with a threonine residue located in the active site of a proteasome subunit to block protein degradation. Proteasomes in pathogenic organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Plasmodium falciparum also have a nucleophilic threonine residue in the proteasome active site and are therefore sensitive to these anticancer drugs. This review summarizes efforts to validate the proteasome in pathogenic organisms as a therapeutic target. We describe several strategies that have been used to develop inhibitors with increased potency and selectivity for the pathogen proteasome relative to the human proteasome. In addition, we highlight a cell-based chemical screening approach that identified a potent, allosteric inhibitor of proteasomes found in Leishmania and Trypanosoma species. Finally, we discuss the development of proteasome inhibitors as anti-infective agents. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  14. A new structural class of proteasome inhibitors that prevent NF-kappa B activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lum, R T; Kerwar, S S; Meyer, S M; Nelson, M G; Schow, S R; Shiffman, D; Wick, M M; Joly, A

    1998-05-01

    The multicatalytic proteinase or proteasome is a highly conserved cellular structure that is responsible for the ATP-dependent proteolysis of many proteins involved in important regulatory cellular processes. We have identified a novel class of inhibitors of the chymotrypsin-like proteolytic activity of the 20S proteasome that exhibit IC50 values ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 microgram/mL (0.1 to 1 microM). In cell proliferation assays, these compounds inhibit growth with an IC50 ranging from 5 to 10 micrograms/mL (10-20 microM). A representative member of this class of inhibitors was tested in other biological assays. CVT-634 (5-methoxy-1-indanone-3-acetyl-leu-D-leu-1-indanylamide) prevented lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-, and phorbol ester-induced activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) in vitro by preventing signal-induced degradation of I kappa B-alpha. In these studies, the I kappa B-alpha that accumulated was hyperphosphorylated, indicating that CVT-634 did not inhibit I kappa B-alpha kinase, the enzyme responsible for signal-induced phosphorylation of I kappa B-alpha. In vivo studies indicated that CVT-634 prevented LPS-induced TNF synthesis in a murine macrophage cell line. In addition, in mice pretreated with CVT-634 at 25 and 50 mg/kg and subsequently treated with LPS, serum TNF levels were significantly lower (225 +/- 59 and 83 +/- 41 pg/mL, respectively) than in those mice that were treated only with LPS (865 +/- 282 pg/mL). These studies suggest that specific inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome is sufficient to prevent signal-induced NF-kappa B activation and that the proteasome is a novel target for the identification of agents that may be useful in the treatment of diseases whose etiology is dependent upon the activation of NF-kappa B.

  15. Proteasome inhibitors enhance endothelial thrombomodulin expression via induction of Krüppel-like transcription factors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hiroi, Toyoko; Deming, Clayton B.; Zhao, Haige; Hansen, Baranda S.; Arkenbout, Elisabeth K.; Myers, Thomas J.; McDevitt, Michael A.; Rade, Jeffrey J.

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Impairment of the thrombomodulin-protein C anticoagulant pathway has been implicated in pathological thrombosis associated with malignancy. Patients who receive proteasome inhibitors as part of their chemotherapeutic regimen appear to be at decreased risk for thromboembolic events. We

  16. Inhibition of nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages by resveratrol, a potent proteasome inhibitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qureshi Asaf A

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Altered immune function during ageing results in increased production of nitric oxide (NO and other inflammatory mediators. Recently, we have reported that NO production was inhibited by naturally-occurring proteasome inhibitors (quercetin, δ-tocotrienol, and riboflavin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, and thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal macrophages from C57BL/6 mice. In a continuous effort to find more potent, non-toxic, commercially available, naturally-occurring proteasome inhibitors that suppress inflammation, the present study was carried out to describe the inhibition of NF-κB activation and NO, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and iNOS expression by trans-resveratrol, trans-pterostilbene, morin hydrate, and nicotinic acid in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells and thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal macrophages from C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. Results The present results indicate that resveratrol, pterostilbene, and morin hydrate caused significant inhibition (>70% to 90%; P 40%; P 60%; P 40%; P P  Conclusions The present results clearly demonstrate that resveratrol and pterostilbene are particularly potent proteasome inhibitors that suppress expression of genes, and production of inflammatory products in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells, and macrophages from C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. Resveratrol and pterostilbene which are present in grapes, blueberries, and red wine, have been implicated as contributing factors to the lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in the French population, despite their relatively high dietary fat intake. Consequently, it appears likely that the beneficial nutritional effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene are due at least in part, to their ability to inhibit NF-κB activation by the proteasome, thereby suppressing activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and iNOS genes, resulting in decreased secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and NO levels, in response to inflammatory stimuli

  17. Synergistic efficacy in human ovarian cancer cells by histone deacetylase inhibitor TSA and proteasome inhibitor PS-341.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Yong; Hu, Yi; Wu, Peng; Wang, Beibei; Tian, Yuan; Xia, Xi; Zhang, Qinghua; Chen, Tong; Jiang, Xuefeng; Ma, Quanfu; Xu, Gang; Wang, Shixuan; Zhou, Jianfeng; Ma, Ding; Meng, Li

    2011-05-01

    Histone deacetylase inhibitors and proteasome inhibitor are all emerging as new classes of anticancer agents. We chose TSA and PS-341 to identify whether they have a synergistic efficacy on human ovarian cancer cells. After incubated with 500 nM TSA or/and 40 nM PS-341, we found that combined groups resulted in a striking increase of apoptosis and G2/M blocking rates, no matter in A2780, cisplatin-sensitive ovarian cancer cell line OV2008 or its resistant variant C13*. This demonstrated that TSA interacted synergistically with PS-341, which raised the possibility that combined the two drugs may represent a novel strategy in ovarian cancer.

  18. Resveratrol protects leukemic cells against cytotoxicity induced by proteasome inhibitors via induction of FOXO1 and p27Kip1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niu, Xiao-Fang; Liu, Bao-Qin; Du, Zhen-Xian; Gao, Yan-Yan; Li, Chao; Li, Ning; Guan, Yifu; Wang, Hua-Qin

    2011-01-01

    It was reported recently that resveratrol could sensitize a number of cancer cells to the antitumoral effects of some conventional chemotherapy drugs. The current study was designed to investigate whether resveratrol could sensitize leukemic cells to proteasome inhibitors. Leukemic cells were treated with MG132 alone or in combination with resveratrol. Cell viability was investigated using MTT assay, and induction of apoptosis and cell cycle distribution was measured using flow cytometry. Western blot and real-time RT-PCR were used to investigate the expression of FOXO1 and p27 Kip1 . CHIP was performed to investigate the binding of FOXO1 to the p27 Kip1 promoter. Resveratrol strongly reduced cytotoxic activities of proteasome inhibitors against leukemic cells. MG132 in combination with resveratrol caused cell cycle blockade at G1/S transition via p27 Kip1 accumulation. Knockdown of p27 Kip1 using siRNA dramatically attenuated the protective effects of resveratrol on cytotoxic actions of proteasome inhibitors against leukemic cells. Resveratrol induced FOXO1 expression at the transcriptional level, while MG132 increased nuclear distribution of FOXO1. MG132 in combination with resveratrol caused synergistic induction of p27 Kip1 through increased recruitment of FOXO1 on the p27 Kip1 promoter. Resveratrol may have the potential to negate the cytotoxic effects of proteasome inhibitors via regulation of FOXO1 transcriptional activity and accumulation of p27 Kip1

  19. Alterations of the intracellular peptidome in response to the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia S Gelman

    Full Text Available Bortezomib is an antitumor drug that competitively inhibits proteasome beta-1 and beta-5 subunits. While the impact of bortezomib on protein stability is known, the effect of this drug on intracellular peptides has not been previously explored. A quantitative peptidomics technique was used to examine the effect of treating human embryonic kidney 293T (HEK293T cells with 5-500 nM bortezomib for various lengths of time (30 minutes to 16 hours, and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with 500 nM bortezomib for 1 hour. Although bortezomib treatment decreased the levels of some intracellular peptides, the majority of peptides were increased by 50-500 nM bortezomib. Peptides requiring cleavage at acidic and hydrophobic sites, which involve beta-1 and -5 proteasome subunits, were among those elevated by bortezomib. In contrast, the proteasome inhibitor epoxomicin caused a decrease in the levels of many of these peptides. Although bortezomib can induce autophagy under certain conditions, the rapid bortezomib-mediated increase in peptide levels did not correlate with the induction of autophagy. Taken together, the present data indicate that bortezomib alters the balance of intracellular peptides, which may contribute to the biological effects of this drug.

  20. Model-Informed Drug Development for Ixazomib, an Oral Proteasome Inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Neeraj; Hanley, Michael J; Diderichsen, Paul M; Yang, Huyuan; Ke, Alice; Teng, Zhaoyang; Labotka, Richard; Berg, Deborah; Patel, Chirag; Liu, Guohui; van de Velde, Helgi; Venkatakrishnan, Karthik

    2018-02-15

    Model-informed drug development (MIDD) was central to the development of the oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib, facilitating internal decisions (switch from body surface area (BSA)-based to fixed dosing, inclusive phase III trials, portfolio prioritization of ixazomib-based combinations, phase III dose for maintenance treatment), regulatory review (model-informed QT analysis, benefit-risk of 4 mg dose), and product labeling (absolute bioavailability and intrinsic/extrinsic factors). This review discusses the impact of MIDD in enabling patient-centric therapeutic optimization during the development of ixazomib. © 2017 The Authors. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

  1. Next-generation proteasome inhibitor oprozomib synergizes with modulators of the unfolded protein response to suppress hepatocellular carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vandewynckel, Yves-Paul; Coucke, Céline; Laukens, Debby; Devisscher, Lindsey; Paridaens, Annelies; Bogaerts, Eliene; Vandierendonck, Astrid; Raevens, Sarah; Verhelst, Xavier; Van Steenkiste, Christophe; Libbrecht, Louis; Geerts, Anja; Van Vlierberghe, Hans

    2016-06-07

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) responds poorly to conventional systemic therapies. The first-in-class proteasome inhibitor bortezomib has been approved in clinical use for hematologic malignancies and has shown modest activity in solid tumors, including HCC. However, a considerable proportion of patients fail to respond and experience important adverse events. Recently, the next-generation orally bioavailable irreversible proteasome inhibitor oprozomib was developed. Here, we assessed the efficacy of oprozomib and its effects on the unfolded protein response (UPR), a signaling cascade activated through the ATF6, PERK and IRE1 pathways by accumulation of unfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, in HCC. The effects of oprozomib and the role of the UPR were evaluated in HCC cell lines and in diethylnitrosamine-induced and xenograft mouse models for HCC. Oprozomib dose-dependently reduced the viability and proliferation of human HCC cells. Unexpectedly, oprozomib-treated cells displayed diminished cytoprotective ATF6-mediated signal transduction as well as unaltered PERK and IRE1 signaling. However, oprozomib increased pro-apoptotic UPR-mediated protein levels by prolonging their half-life, implying that the proteasome acts as a negative UPR regulator. Supplementary boosting of UPR activity synergistically improved the sensitivity to oprozomib via the PERK pathway. Oral oprozomib displayed significant antitumor effects in the orthotopic and xenograft models for HCC, and importantly, combining oprozomib with different UPR activators enhanced the antitumor efficacy by stimulating UPR-induced apoptosis without cumulative toxicity. In conclusion, next-generation proteasome inhibition by oprozomib results in dysregulated UPR activation in HCC. This finding can be exploited to enhance the antitumor efficacy by combining oprozomib with clinically applicable UPR activators.

  2. Suppression of 19S proteasome subunits marks emergence of an altered cell state in diverse cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsvetkov, Peter; Sokol, Ethan; Jin, Dexter; Brune, Zarina; Thiru, Prathapan; Ghandi, Mahmoud; Garraway, Levi A; Gupta, Piyush B; Santagata, Sandro; Whitesell, Luke; Lindquist, Susan

    2017-01-10

    The use of proteasome inhibitors to target cancer's dependence on altered protein homeostasis has been greatly limited by intrinsic and acquired resistance. Analyzing data from thousands of cancer lines and tumors, we find that those with suppressed expression of one or more 19S proteasome subunits show intrinsic proteasome inhibitor resistance. Moreover, such proteasome subunit suppression is associated with poor outcome in myeloma patients, where proteasome inhibitors are a mainstay of treatment. Beyond conferring resistance to proteasome inhibitors, proteasome subunit suppression also serves as a sentinel of a more global remodeling of the transcriptome. This remodeling produces a distinct gene signature and new vulnerabilities to the proapoptotic drug, ABT-263. This frequent, naturally arising imbalance in 19S regulatory complex composition is achieved through a variety of mechanisms, including DNA methylation, and marks the emergence of a heritably altered and therapeutically relevant state in diverse cancers.

  3. p53 mutations promote proteasomal activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oren, Moshe; Kotler, Eran

    2016-07-27

    p53 mutations occur very frequently in human cancer. Besides abrogating the tumour suppressive functions of wild-type p53, many of those mutations also acquire oncogenic gain-of-function activities. Augmentation of proteasome activity is now reported as a common gain-of-function mechanism shared by different p53 mutants, which promotes cancer resistance to proteasome inhibitors.

  4. Transcriptional upregulation of BAG3 upon proteasome inhibition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Huaqin; Liu Haimei; Zhang Haiyan; Guan Yifu; Du Zhenxian

    2008-01-01

    Proteasome inhibitors exhibit antitumoral activity against malignancies of different histology. Emerging evidence indicates that antiapoptotic factors may also accumulate as a consequence of exposure to these drugs, thus it seems plausible that activation of survival signaling cascades might compromise their antitumoral effects. Bcl-2-associated athanogene (BAG) family proteins are characterized by their property of interaction with a variety of partners involved in modulating the proliferation/death balance, including heat shock proteins (HSP), Bcl-2, Raf-1. In this report, we demonstrated that BAG3 is a novel antiapoptotic molecule induced by proteasome inhibitors in various cancer cells at the transcriptional level. Moreover, we demonstrated that BAG3 knockdown by siRNA sensitized cancer cells to MG132-induced apoptosis. Taken together, our results suggest that BAG3 induction might represents as an unwanted molecular consequence of utilizing proteasome inhibitors to combat tumors

  5. The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 sensitizes PC-3 prostate cancer cells to ionizing radiation by a DNA-PK-independent mechanism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pajonk, Frank; Ophoven, Arndt van; Weissenberger, Christian; McBride, William H

    2005-01-01

    By modulating the expression levels of specific signal transduction molecules, the 26S proteasome plays a central role in determining cell cycle progression or arrest and cell survival or death in response to stress stimuli, including ionizing radiation. Inhibition of proteasome function by specific drugs results in cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and radiosensitization of many cancer cell lines. This study investigates whether there is also a concomitant increase in cellular radiosensitivity if proteasome inhibition occurs only transiently before radiation. Further, since proteasome inhibition has been shown to activate caspase-3, which is involved in apoptosis, and caspase-3 can cleave DNA-PKcs, which is involved in DNA-double strand repair, the hypothesis was tested that caspase-3 activation was essential for both apoptosis and radiosensitization following proteasome inhibition. Prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells were treated with the reversible proteasome inhibitor MG-132. Cell cycle distribution, apoptosis, caspase-3 activity, DNA-PKcs protein levels and DNA-PK activity were monitored. Radiosensitivity was assessed using a clonogenic assay. Inhibition of proteasome function caused cell cycle arrest and apoptosis but this did not involve early activation of caspase-3. Short-time inhibition of proteasome function also caused radiosensitization but this did not involve a decrease in DNA-PKcs protein levels or DNA-PK activity. We conclude that caspase-dependent cleavage of DNA-PKcs during apoptosis does not contribute to the radiosensitizing effects of MG-132

  6. Proteasome inhibitors promote the sequestration of PrPSc into aggresomes within the cytosol of prion-infected CAD neuronal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dron, Michel; Dandoy-Dron, Françoise; Farooq Salamat, Muhammad Khalid; Laude, Hubert

    2009-08-01

    Dysfunction of the endoplasmic reticulum associated protein degradation/proteasome system is believed to contribute to the initiation or aggravation of neurodegenerative disorders associated with protein misfolding, and there is some evidence to suggest that proteasome dysfunctions might be implicated in prion disease. This study investigated the effect of proteasome inhibitors on the biogenesis of both the cellular (PrP(C)) and abnormal (PrP(Sc)) forms of prion protein in CAD neuronal cells, a newly introduced prion cell system. In uninfected cells, proteasome impairment altered the intracellular distribution of PrP(C), leading to a strong accumulation in the Golgi apparatus. Moreover, a detergent-insoluble and weakly protease-resistant PrP species of 26 kDa, termed PrP(26K), accumulated in the cells, whether they were prion-infected or not. However, no evidence was found that, in infected cells, this PrP(26K) species converts into the highly proteinase K-resistant PrP(Sc). In the infected cultures, proteasome inhibition caused an increased intracellular aggregation of PrP(Sc) that was deposited into large aggresomes. These findings strengthen the view that, in neuronal cells expressing wild-type PrP(C) from the natural promoter, proteasomal impairment may affect both the process of PrP(C) biosynthesis and the subcellular sites of PrP(Sc) accumulation, despite the fact that these two effects could essentially be disconnected.

  7. SPR imaging biosensor for the 20S proteasome: Sensor development and application to measurement of proteasomes in human blood plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorodkiewicz, E.; Sankiewicz, A.; Ostrowska, H.

    2011-01-01

    The 20S proteasome is a multicatalytic enzyme complex responsible for intracellular protein degradation in mammalian cells. Its antigen level or enzymatic activity in blood plasma are potentially useful markers for various malignant and nonmalignant diseases. We have developed a method for highly selective determination of the 20S proteasome using a Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging (SPRI) technique. It is based on the highly selective interaction between the proteasome's catalytic β5 subunit and immobilized inhibitors (the synthetic peptide PSI and epoxomicin). Inhibitor concentration and pH were optimized. Analytical responses, linear ranges, accuracy, precision and interferences were investigated. Biosensors based on either PSI and epoxomicin were found to be suitable for quantitative determination of the proteasome, with a precision of ±10% for each, and recoveries of 102% and 113%, respectively, and with little interference by albumin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, cathepsin B and papain. The proteasome also was determined in plasma of healthy subjects and of patients suffering from acute leukemia. Both biosensors gave comparable results (2860 ng.mL -1 on average for control, and 42300 ng.mL -1 on average for leukemia patients). (author)

  8. Proteasome Inhibitor YSY01A Abrogates Constitutive STAT3 Signaling via Down-regulation of Gp130 and JAK2 in Human A549 Lung Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Huang

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Proteasome inhibition interfering with many cell signaling pathways has been extensively explored as a therapeutic strategy for cancers. Proteasome inhibitor YSY01A is a novel agent that has shown remarkable anti-tumor effects; however, its mechanisms of action are not fully understood. Here we report that YSY01A is capable of suppressing cancer cell survival by induction of apoptosis. Paradoxically, we find that YSY01A abrogates constitutive activation of STAT3 via proteasome-independent degradation of gp130 and JAK2, but not transcriptional regulation, in human A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells. The reduction in gp130 and JAK2 can be restored by co-treatment with 3-methyladenine, an early-stage autophagy lysosome and type I/III PI3K inhibitor. YSY01A also effectively inhibits cancer cell migration and lung xenograft tumor growth with little adverse effect on animals. Thus, our findings suggest that YSY01A represents a promising candidate for further development of novel anticancer therapeutics targeting the proteasome.

  9. The use of activity based protein profiling to study proteasome biology

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Paniagua Soriano, Guillem

    2016-01-01

    The work described in this thesis focuses on the characterization of proteasome directed activity-based probes (ABPs) as well as on the adaptation mechanisms that make multiple myeloma derived cell lines resistant against proteasome inhibitors (PIs).

  10. Combination therapy for hepatitis C virus with heat-shock protein 90 inhibitor 17-AAG and proteasome inhibitor MG132.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ujino, Saneyuki; Yamaguchi, Saori; Shimotohno, Kunitada; Takaku, Hiroshi

    2010-03-09

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major cause of chronic liver disease. Here, we report a new and effective strategy for inhibiting HCV replication using an inhibitor of heat-shock protein 90, 17-AAG (17-allylamino-17demethoxygeldanamycin), and a proteasome inhibitor, MG132. To explore the virological basis of combination therapy, we analysed the effects of 17-AAG and MG132, singly and in combination on HCV replication in an HCV replicon cell system. In HCV replicon cells, HCV RNA replication was suppressed by 17-AAG in a dose-dependent manner. As shown in the present study, the 50% inhibitory concentration values were 0.82 nM for 17-AAG and 0.21 nM for MG132. Low concentrations of MG132 had strong synergistic inhibitory effects with low toxicity on HCV replicon cells. The results of this study suggest that the different effects and synergistic actions of 17-AAG and MG132 could provide a new therapeutic approach to HCV infection.

  11. Nucleolar Proteome Analysis and Proteasomal Activity Assays Reveal a Link between Nucleolus and 26S Proteasome in A. thaliana

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montacié, Charlotte; Durut, Nathalie; Opsomer, Alison; Palm, Denise; Comella, Pascale; Picart, Claire; Carpentier, Marie-Christine; Pontvianne, Frederic; Carapito, Christine; Schleiff, Enrico; Sáez-Vásquez, Julio

    2017-01-01

    In all eukaryotic cells, the nucleolus is functionally and structurally linked to rRNA synthesis and ribosome biogenesis. This compartment contains as well factors involved in other cellular activities, but the functional interconnection between non-ribosomal activities and the nucleolus (structure and function) still remains an open question. Here, we report a novel mass spectrometry analysis of isolated nucleoli from Arabidopsis thaliana plants using the FANoS (Fluorescence Assisted Nucleolus Sorting) strategy. We identified many ribosome biogenesis factors (RBF) and proteins non-related with ribosome biogenesis, in agreement with the recognized multi-functionality of the nucleolus. Interestingly, we found that 26S proteasome subunits localize in the nucleolus and demonstrated that proteasome activity and nucleolus organization are intimately linked to each other. Proteasome subunits form discrete foci in the disorganized nucleolus of nuc1.2 plants. Nuc1.2 protein extracts display reduced proteasome activity in vitro compared to WT protein extracts. Remarkably, proteasome activity in nuc1.2 is similar to proteasome activity in WT plants treated with proteasome inhibitors (MG132 or ALLN). Finally, we show that MG132 treatment induces disruption of nucleolar structures in WT but not in nuc1.2 plants. Altogether, our data suggest a functional interconnection between nucleolus structure and proteasome activity. PMID:29104584

  12. Proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib interacts synergistically with histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in Jurkat T-leukemia cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Minjie; Gao, Lu; Tao, Yi; Hou, Jun; Yang, Guang; Wu, Xiaosong; Xu, Hongwei; Tompkins, Van S; Han, Ying; Wu, Huiqun; Zhan, Fenghuang; Shi, Jumei

    2014-06-01

    In the present study, we investigated the interactions between proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib (CFZ) and histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in Jurkat T-leukemia cells. Coexposure of cells to minimally lethal concentrations of CFZ with very low concentration of vorinostat resulted in synergistic antiproliferative effects and enhanced apoptosis in Jurkat T-leukemia cells, accompanied with the sharply increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), the striking decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), the increased release of cytochrome c, the enhanced activation of caspase-9 and -3, and the cleavage of PARP. The combined treatment of Jurkat cells pre-treated with ROS scavengers N-acetylcysteine (NAC) significantly blocked the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, suggesting that ROS generation was a former event of the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, NAC also resulted in a marked reduction in apoptotic cells, indicating a critical role for increased ROS generation by combined treatment. In addition, combined treatment arrested the cell cycle in G2-M phase. These results imply that CFZ interacted synergistically with vorinostat in Jurkat T-leukemia cells, which raised the possibility that the combination of carfilzomib with vorinostat may represent a novel strategy in treating T-cell Leukemia. © The Author 2014. Published by ABBS Editorial Office in association with Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

  13. Proteasome inhibitors block DNA repair and radiosensitize non-small cell lung cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyle R Cron

    Full Text Available Despite optimal radiation therapy (RT, chemotherapy and/or surgery, a majority of patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC fail treatment. To identify novel gene targets for improved tumor control, we performed whole genome RNAi screens to identify knockdowns that most reproducibly increase NSCLC cytotoxicity. These screens identified several proteasome subunits among top hits, including the topmost hit PSMA1, a component of the core 20 S proteasome. Radiation and proteasome inhibition showed synergistic effects. Proteasome inhibition resulted in an 80-90% decrease in homologous recombination (HR, a 50% decrease in expression of NF-κB-inducible HR genes BRCA1 and FANCD2, and a reduction of BRCA1, FANCD2 and RAD51 ionizing radiation-induced foci. IκBα RNAi knockdown rescued NSCLC radioresistance. Irradiation of mice with NCI-H460 xenografts after inducible PSMA1 shRNA knockdown markedly increased murine survival compared to either treatment alone. Proteasome inhibition is a promising strategy for NSCLC radiosensitization via inhibition of NF-κB-mediated expression of Fanconi Anemia/HR DNA repair genes.

  14. Altered composition of liver proteasome assemblies contributes to enhanced proteasome activity in the exceptionally long-lived naked mole-rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Karl A; Edrey, Yael H; Osmulski, Pawel; Gaczynska, Maria; Buffenstein, Rochelle

    2012-01-01

    The longest-lived rodent, the naked mole-rat (Bathyergidae; Heterocephalus glaber), maintains robust health for at least 75% of its 32 year lifespan, suggesting that the decline in genomic integrity or protein homeostasis routinely observed during aging, is either attenuated or delayed in this extraordinarily long-lived species. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) plays an integral role in protein homeostasis by degrading oxidatively-damaged and misfolded proteins. In this study, we examined proteasome activity in naked mole-rats and mice in whole liver lysates as well as three subcellular fractions to probe the mechanisms behind the apparently enhanced effectiveness of UPS. We found that when compared with mouse samples, naked mole-rats had significantly higher chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L) activity and a two-fold increase in trypsin-like (T-L) in both whole lysates as well as cytosolic fractions. Native gel electrophoresis of the whole tissue lysates showed that the 20S proteasome was more active in the longer-lived species and that 26S proteasome was both more active and more populous. Western blot analyses revealed that both 19S subunits and immunoproteasome catalytic subunits are present in greater amounts in the naked mole-rat suggesting that the observed higher specific activity may be due to the greater proportion of immunoproteasomes in livers of healthy young adults. It thus appears that proteasomes in this species are primed for the efficient removal of stress-damaged proteins. Further characterization of the naked mole-rat proteasome and its regulation could lead to important insights on how the cells in these animals handle increased stress and protein damage to maintain a longer health in their tissues and ultimately a longer life.

  15. BAG3-dependent noncanonical autophagy induced by proteasome inhibition in HepG2 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bao-Qin; Du, Zhen-Xian; Zong, Zhi-Hong; Li, Chao; Li, Ning; Zhang, Qiang; Kong, De-Hui; Wang, Hua-Qin

    2013-06-01

    Emerging lines of evidence have shown that blockade of ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) activates autophagy. The molecular players that regulate the relationship between them remain to be elucidated. Bcl-2 associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is a member of the BAG co-chaperone family that regulates the ATPase activity of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) chaperone family. Studies on BAG3 have demonstrated that it plays multiple roles in physiological and pathological processes, including antiapoptotic activity, signal transduction, regulatory role in virus infection, cell adhesion and migration. Recent studies have attracted much attention on its role in initiation of autophagy. The current study, for the first time, demonstrates that proteasome inhibitors elicit noncanonical autophagy, which was not suppressed by inhibitors of class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PtdIns3K) or shRNA against Beclin 1 (BECN1). In addition, we demonstrate that BAG3 is ascribed to activation of autophagy elicited by proteasome inhibitors and MAPK8/9/10 (also known as JNK1/2/3 respectively) activation is also implicated via upregulation of BAG3. Moreover, we found that noncanonical autophagy mediated by BAG3 suppresses responsiveness of HepG2 cells to proteasome inhibitors.

  16. Proteomic characterization of an isolated fraction of synthetic proteasome inhibitor (PSI-induced inclusions in PC12 cells might offer clues to aggresomes as a cellular defensive response against proteasome inhibition by PSI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Xing'an

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cooperation of constituents of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS with chaperone proteins in degrading proteins mediate a wide range of cellular processes, such as synaptic function and neurotransmission, gene transcription, protein trafficking, mitochondrial function and metabolism, antioxidant defence mechanisms, and apoptotic signal transduction. It is supposed that constituents of the UPS and chaperone proteins are recruited into aggresomes where aberrant and potentially cytotoxic proteins may be sequestered in an inactive form. Results To determinate the proteomic pattern of synthetic proteasome inhibitor (PSI-induced inclusions in PC12 cells after proteasome inhibition by PSI, we analyzed a fraction of PSI-induced inclusions. A proteomic feature of the isolated fraction was characterized by identification of fifty six proteins including twenty previously reported protein components of Lewy bodies, twenty eight newly identified proteins and eight unknown proteins. These proteins, most of which were recognized as a profile of proteins within cellular processes mediated by the UPS, a profile of constituents of the UPS and a profile of chaperone proteins, are classed into at least nine accepted categories. In addition, prolyl-4-hydroxylase beta polypeptide, an endoplasmic reticulum member of the protein disulfide isomerase family, was validated in the developmental process of PSI-induced inclusions in the cells. Conclusions It is speculated that proteomic characterization of an isolated fraction of PSI-induced inclusions in PC12 cells might offer clues to appearance of aggresomes serving as a cellular defensive response against proteasome inhibition.

  17. Altered composition of liver proteasome assemblies contributes to enhanced proteasome activity in the exceptionally long-lived naked mole-rat.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karl A Rodriguez

    Full Text Available The longest-lived rodent, the naked mole-rat (Bathyergidae; Heterocephalus glaber, maintains robust health for at least 75% of its 32 year lifespan, suggesting that the decline in genomic integrity or protein homeostasis routinely observed during aging, is either attenuated or delayed in this extraordinarily long-lived species. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS plays an integral role in protein homeostasis by degrading oxidatively-damaged and misfolded proteins. In this study, we examined proteasome activity in naked mole-rats and mice in whole liver lysates as well as three subcellular fractions to probe the mechanisms behind the apparently enhanced effectiveness of UPS. We found that when compared with mouse samples, naked mole-rats had significantly higher chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L activity and a two-fold increase in trypsin-like (T-L in both whole lysates as well as cytosolic fractions. Native gel electrophoresis of the whole tissue lysates showed that the 20S proteasome was more active in the longer-lived species and that 26S proteasome was both more active and more populous. Western blot analyses revealed that both 19S subunits and immunoproteasome catalytic subunits are present in greater amounts in the naked mole-rat suggesting that the observed higher specific activity may be due to the greater proportion of immunoproteasomes in livers of healthy young adults. It thus appears that proteasomes in this species are primed for the efficient removal of stress-damaged proteins. Further characterization of the naked mole-rat proteasome and its regulation could lead to important insights on how the cells in these animals handle increased stress and protein damage to maintain a longer health in their tissues and ultimately a longer life.

  18. Proteasome inhibitors activate autophagy involving inhibition of PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway as an anti-oxidation defense in human RPE cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bingrong Tang

    Full Text Available The two major intracellular protein degradation systems, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS and autophagy, work collaboratively in many biological processes including development, apoptosis, aging, and countering oxidative injuries. We report here that, in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE, ARPE-19 cells, proteasome inhibitors, clasto-lactacystinβ-lactone (LA or epoxomicin (Epo, at non-lethal doses, increased the protein levels of autophagy-specific genes Atg5 and Atg7 and enhanced the conversion of microtubule-associated protein light chain (LC3 from LC3-I to its lipidative form, LC3-II, which was enhanced by co-addition of the saturated concentration of Bafilomycin A1 (Baf. Detection of co-localization for LC3 staining and labeled-lysosome further confirmed autophagic flux induced by LA or Epo. LA or Epo reduced the phosphorylation of the protein kinase B (Akt, a downstream target of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinases (PI3K, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR in ARPE-19 cells; by contrast, the induced changes of autophagy substrate, p62, showed biphasic pattern. The autophagy inhibitor, Baf, attenuated the reduction in oxidative injury conferred by treatment with low doses of LA and Epo in ARPE-19 cells exposed to menadione (VK3 or 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE. Knockdown of Atg7 with siRNA in ARPE-19 cells reduced the protective effects of LA or Epo against VK3. Overall, our results suggest that treatment with low levels of proteasome inhibitors confers resistance to oxidative injury by a pathway involving inhibition of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway and activation of autophagy.

  19. Baicalin and scutellarin are proteasome inhibitors that specifically target chymotrypsin-like catalytic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yi-Xin; Sato, Eiji; Kimura, Wataru; Miura, Naoyuki

    2013-09-01

    Baicalin and scutellarin are the major active principal flavonoids extracted from the Chinese herbal medicines Scutellaria baicalensis and Erigeron breviscapus (Vant.) Hand-Mazz. It has recently been reported that baicalin and scutellarin have antitumor activity. However, the mechanisms of action are unknown. We previously reported that some flavonoids have a specific role in the inhibition of the activity of proteasome subunits and induced apoptosis in tumor cells. To further investigate these pharmacological effects, we examined the inhibitory activity of baicalin and scutellarin on the extracted proteasomes from mice and cancer cells. Using fluorogenic substrates for proteasome catalytic subunits, we found that baicalin and scutellarin specifically inhibited chymotrypsin-like activity but did not inhibit trypsin-like and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide hydrolyzing activities. These data suggested that baicalin and scutellarin specifically inhibit chymotrypsin-like catalytic activity in the proteasome. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Prospective iterative trial of proteasome inhibitor-based desensitization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodle, E S; Shields, A R; Ejaz, N S; Sadaka, B; Girnita, A; Walsh, R C; Alloway, R R; Brailey, P; Cardi, M A; Abu Jawdeh, B G; Roy-Chaudhury, P; Govil, A; Mogilishetty, G

    2015-01-01

    A prospective iterative trial of proteasome inhibitor (PI)-based therapy for reducing HLA antibody (Ab) levels was conducted in five phases differing in bortezomib dosing density and plasmapheresis timing. Phases included 1 or 2 bortezomib cycles (1.3 mg/m(2) × 6-8 doses), one rituximab dose and plasmapheresis. HLA Abs were measured by solid phase and flow cytometry (FCM) assays. Immunodominant Ab (iAb) was defined as highest HLA Ab level. Forty-four patients received 52 desensitization courses (7 patients enrolled in multiple phases): Phase 1 (n = 20), Phase 2 (n = 12), Phase 3 (n = 10), Phase 4 (n = 5), Phase 5 (n = 5). iAb reductions were observed in 38 of 44 (86%) patients and persisted up to 10 months. In Phase 1, a 51.5% iAb reduction was observed at 28 days with bortezomib alone. iAb reductions increased with higher bortezomib dosing densities and included class I, II, and public antigens (HLA DRβ3, HLA DRβ4 and HLA DRβ5). FCM median channel shifts decreased in 11/11 (100%) patients by a mean of 103 ± 54 mean channel shifts (log scale). Nineteen out of 44 patients (43.2%) were transplanted with low acute rejection rates (18.8%) and de novo DSA formation (12.5%). In conclusion, PI-based desensitization consistently and durably reduces HLA Ab levels providing an alternative to intravenous immune globulin-based desensitization. © Copyright 2014 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

  1. Changes in glucose-induced plasma active glucagon-like peptide-1 levels by co-administration of sodium–glucose cotransporter inhibitors with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors in rodents

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    Takahiro Oguma

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available We investigated whether structurally different sodium–glucose cotransporter (SGLT 2 inhibitors, when co-administered with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4 inhibitors, could enhance glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 secretion during oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs in rodents. Three different SGLT inhibitors—1-(β-d-Glucopyranosyl-4-chloro-3-[5-(6-fluoro-2-pyridyl-2-thienylmethyl]benzene (GTB, TA-1887, and canagliflozin—were examined to assess the effect of chemical structure. Oral treatment with GTB plus a DPP4 inhibitor enhanced glucose-induced plasma active GLP-1 (aGLP-1 elevation and suppressed glucose excursions in both normal and diabetic rodents. In DPP4-deficient rats, GTB enhanced glucose-induced aGLP-1 elevation without affecting the basal level, whereas metformin, previously reported to enhance GLP-1 secretion, increased both the basal level and glucose-induced elevation. Oral treatment with canagliflozin and TA-1887 also enhanced glucose-induced aGLP-1 elevation when co-administered with either teneligliptin or sitagliptin. These data suggest that structurally different SGLT2 inhibitors enhance plasma aGLP-1 elevation and suppress glucose excursions during OGTT when co-administered with DPP4 inhibitors, regardless of the difference in chemical structure. Combination treatment with DPP4 inhibitors and SGLT2 inhibitors having moderate SGLT1 inhibitory activity may be a promising therapeutic option for improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

  2. Tau protein degradation is catalyzed by the ATP/ubiquitin-independent 20S proteasome under normal cell conditions

    OpenAIRE

    Grune, Tilman; Botzen, Diana; Engels, Martina; Voss, Peter; Kaiser, Barbara; Jung, Tobias; Grimm, Stefanie; Ermak, Gennady; Davies, Kelvin J. A.

    2010-01-01

    Tau is the major protein exhibiting intracellular accumulation in Alzheimer disease. The mechanisms leading to its accumulation are not fully understood. It has been proposed that the proteasome is responsible for degrading tau but, since proteasomal inhibitors block both the ubiquitin-dependent 26S proteasome and the ubiqutin-independent 20S proteasome pathways, it is not clear which of these pathways is involved in tau degradation. Some involvement of the ubiquitin ligase, CHIP in tau degra...

  3. Apoptosis and radiosensitization of Hodgkin cells by proteasome inhibition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pajonk, Frank; Pajonk, Katja; McBride, William H.

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: Malignant cells from Hodgkin's disease have been reported to be defective in regulation of NF-κB activity. Ionizing radiation is known to activate NF-κB, and it has been suggested that this pathway may protect cells from apoptosis following exposure to radiation and other therapeutic agents. Defective NF-κB regulation in Hodgkin cells could therefore dictate the response of this disease to therapy, as well as be responsible for maintaining the malignant phenotype. The purpose of this study was to explore whether NF-κB activity could be modulated in Hodgkin cells and whether it determines the response of these cells to treatment with ionizing radiation and/or dexamethasone. Methods and Materials: Activation of NF-κB in cells is accomplished in large part by degradation of its inhibitor IκB through the 26s proteasome. HD-My-Z Hodgkin cells were treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 or transduced with a dominant negative super-repressor IκBα. Clonogenic survival, apoptosis, proteasome activity, and NF-κB binding activity were monitored in response to ionizing radiation and/or dexamethasone treatment. Results: HD-My-Z Hodgkin cells had modest NF-κB levels but, unlike other cell types, did not decrease their level of constitutively active NF-κB in response to proteasome inhibition with MG-132. In contrast, transduction with a non-phosphorable IκBα construct abolished expression. MG-132 did, however, induce apoptosis in HD-My-Z cells and sensitized them to ionizing radiation. Dexamethasone treatment had no effect on NF-κB activity or clonogenic survival of Hodgkin cells, but protected them from irradiation. Conclusion: We conclude that inhibition of 26s proteasome activity can induce apoptosis in HD-My-Z Hodgkin cells and radiosensitize them, in spite of the fact that their constitutively active NF-κB levels are unaltered. The proteasome may be a promising new therapeutic target for intervention in this disease. In contrast, the use of

  4. BAX/BAK–Independent Mitoptosis during Cell Death Induced by Proteasome Inhibition?

    OpenAIRE

    Lomonosova, Elena; Ryerse, Jan; Chinnadurai, G.

    2009-01-01

    Proteasome inhibitors induce rapid death of cancer cells. We show that in epithelial cancer cells, such death is associated with dramatic and simultaneous up-regulation of several BH3-only proteins, including BIK, BIM, MCL-1S, NOXA, and PUMA, as well as p53. Elevated levels of these proteins seem to be the result of direct inhibition of their proteasomal degradation, induction of transcription, and active translation. Subsequent cell death is independent of BAX, and probably BAK, and proceeds...

  5. Gambogic Acid Is a Tissue-Specific Proteasome Inhibitor In Vitro and In Vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaofen Li

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Gambogic acid (GA is a natural compound derived from Chinese herbs that has been approved by the Chinese Food and Drug Administration for clinical trials in cancer patients; however, its molecular targets have not been thoroughly studied. Here, we report that GA inhibits tumor proteasome activity, with potency comparable to bortezomib but much less toxicity. First, GA acts as a prodrug and only gains proteasome-inhibitory function after being metabolized by intracellular CYP2E1. Second, GA-induced proteasome inhibition is a prerequisite for its cytotoxicity and anticancer effect without off-targets. Finally, because expression of the CYP2E1 gene is very high in tumor tissues but low in many normal tissues, GA could therefore produce tissue-specific proteasome inhibition and tumor-specific toxicity, with clinical significance for designing novel strategies for cancer treatment.

  6. E11/Podoplanin Protein Stabilization Through Inhibition of the Proteasome Promotes Osteocyte Differentiation in Murine in Vitro Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Staines, Katherine A; Prideaux, Matt; Allen, Steve; Buttle, David J; Pitsillides, Andrew A; Farquharson, Colin

    2016-06-01

    The transmembrane glycoprotein E11 is considered critical in early osteoblast-osteocyte transitions (osteocytogenesis), however its function and regulatory mechanisms are still unknown. Using the late osteoblast MLO-A5 cell line we reveal increased E11 protein/mRNA expression (P < 0.001) concomitant with extensive osteocyte dendrite formation and matrix mineralization (P < 0.001). Transfection with E11 significantly increased mRNA levels (P < 0.001), but immunoblotting failed to detect any correlative increases in E11 protein levels, suggestive of post-translational degradation. We found that exogenous treatment of MLO-A5 and osteocytic IDG-SW3 cells with 10 μM ALLN (calpain and proteasome inhibitor) stabilized E11 protein levels and induced a profound increase in osteocytic dendrite formation (P < 0.001). Treatment with other calpain inhibitors failed to promote similar osteocytogenic changes, suggesting that these effects of ALLN rely upon its proteasome inhibitor actions. Accordingly we found that proteasome-selective inhibitors (MG132/lactacystin/ Bortezomib/Withaferin-A) produced similar dose-dependent increases in E11 protein levels in MLO-A5 and primary osteoblast cells. This proteasomal targeting was confirmed by immunoprecipitation of ubiquitinylated proteins, which included E11, and by increased levels of ubiquitinylated E11 protein upon addition of the proteasome inhibitors MG132/Bortezomib. Activation of RhoA, the small GTPase, was found to be increased concomitant with the peak in E11 levels and its downstream signaling was also observed to promote MLO-A5 cell dendrite formation. Our data indicate that a mechanism reliant upon blockade of proteasome-mediated E11 destabilization contributes to osteocytogenesis and that this may involve downstream targeting of RhoA. This work adds to our mechanistic understanding of the factors regulating bone homeostasis, which may lead to future therapeutic approaches. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of

  7. Proteomic Profiling of Radiation-Induced Skin Fibrosis in Rats: Targeting the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Wenjie [School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Luo, Judong [Department of Radiotherapy, Changzhou Tumor Hospital, Soochow University, Changzhou (China); Sheng, Wenjiong; Xue, Jiao; Li, Ming [School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Ji, Jiang [Department of Dermatology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Liu, Pengfei [Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University, Jiangyin (China); Zhang, Xueguang [Institute of Medical Biotechnology and Jiangsu Stem Cell Key Laboratory, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Cao, Jianping [School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Zhang, Shuyu, E-mail: zhang.shuyu@hotmail.com [School of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou (China); Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Soochow University, Suzhou (China)

    2016-06-01

    Purpose: To investigate the molecular changes underlying the pathogenesis of radiation-induced skin fibrosis. Methods and Materials: Rat skin was irradiated to 30 or 45 Gy with an electron beam. Protein expression in fibrotic rat skin and adjacent normal tissues was quantified by label-free protein quantitation. Human skin cells HaCaT and WS-1 were treated by x-ray irradiation, and the proteasome activity was determined with a fluorescent probe. The effect of proteasome inhibitors on Transforming growth factor Beta (TGF-B) signaling was measured by Western blot and immunofluorescence. The efficacy of bortezomib in wound healing of rat skin was assessed by the skin injury scale. Results: We found that irradiation induced epidermal and dermal hyperplasia in rat and human skin. One hundred ninety-six preferentially expressed and 80 unique proteins in the irradiated fibrotic skin were identified. Through bioinformatic analysis, the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway showed a significant fold change and was investigated in greater detail. In vitro experiments demonstrated that irradiation resulted in a decline in the activity of the proteasome in human skin cells. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib suppressed profibrotic TGF-β downstream signaling but not TGF-β secretion stimulated by irradiation in HaCaT and WS-1 cells. Moreover, bortezomib ameliorated radiation-induced skin injury and attenuated epidermal hyperplasia. Conclusion: Our findings illustrate the molecular changes during radiation-induced skin fibrosis and suggest that targeting the ubiquitin-proteasome system would be an effective countermeasure.

  8. Redox-Regulated Pathway of Tyrosine Phosphorylation Underlies NF-κB Induction by an Atypical Pathway Independent of the 26S Proteasome

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cullen, Sarah; Ponnappan, Subramaniam; Ponnappan, Usha

    2015-01-01

    Alternative redox stimuli such as pervanadate or hypoxia/reoxygenation, induce transcription factor NF-κB by phospho-tyrosine-dependent and proteasome-independent mechanisms. While considerable attention has been paid to the absence of proteasomal regulation of tyrosine phosphorylated IκBα, there is a paucity of information regarding proteasomal regulation of signaling events distinct from tyrosine phosphorylation of IκBα. To delineate roles for the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in the phospho-tyrosine dependent mechanism of NF-κB induction, we employed the proteasome inhibitor, Aclacinomycin, and the phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, pervanadate (PV). Results from these studies demonstrate that phospho-IκBα (Tyr-42) is not subject to proteasomal degradation in a murine stromal epithelial cell line, confirming results previously reported. Correspondingly, proteasome inhibition had no discernable effect on the key signaling intermediaries, Src and ERK1/2, involved in the phospho-tyrosine mechanisms regulating PV-mediated activation of NF-κB. Consistent with previous reports, a significant redox imbalance leading to the activation of tyrosine kinases, as occurs with pervanadate, is required for the induction of NF-κB. Strikingly, our studies demonstrate that proteasome inhibition can potentiate oxidative stress associated with PV-stimulation without impacting kinase activation, however, other cellular implications for this increase in intracellular oxidation remain to be fully delineated. PMID:25671697

  9. The Nrf1 CNC-bZIP protein is regulated by the proteasome and activated by hypoxia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chepelev, Nikolai L; Bennitz, Joshua D; Huang, Ting; McBride, Skye; Willmore, William G

    2011-01-01

    Nrf1 (nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45 subunit-related factor 1) is a transcription factor mediating cellular responses to xenobiotic and pro-oxidant stress. Nrf1 regulates the transcription of many stress-related genes through the electrophile response elements (EpREs) located in their promoter regions. Despite its potential importance in human health, the mechanisms controlling Nrf1 have not been addressed fully. We found that proteasomal inhibitors MG-132 and clasto-lactacystin-β-lactone stabilized the protein expression of full-length Nrf1 in both COS7 and WFF2002 cells. Concomitantly, proteasomal inhibition decreased the expression of a smaller, N-terminal Nrf1 fragment, with an approximate molecular weight of 23 kDa. The EpRE-luciferase reporter assays revealed that proteasomal inhibition markedly inhibited the Nrf1 transactivational activity. These results support earlier hypotheses that the 26 S proteasome processes Nrf1 into its active form by removing its inhibitory N-terminal domain anchoring Nrf1 to the endoplasmic reticulum. Immunoprecipitation demonstrated that Nrf1 is ubiquitinated and that proteasomal inhibition increased the degree of Nrf1 ubiquitination. Furthermore, Nrf1 protein had a half-life of approximately 5 hours in COS7 cells. In contrast, hypoxia (1% O(2)) significantly increased the luciferase reporter activity of exogenous Nrf1 protein, while decreasing the protein expression of p65, a shorter form of Nrf1, known to act as a repressor of EpRE-controlled gene expression. Finally, the protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid activated Nrf1 reporter activity, while the latter was repressed by the PKC inhibitor staurosporine. Collectively, our data suggests that Nrf1 is controlled by several post-translational mechanisms, including ubiquitination, proteolytic processing and proteasomal-mediated degradation as well as by its phosphorylation status. © 2011 Chepelev et al.

  10. Proteasome Inhibition Suppresses Dengue Virus Egress in Antibody Dependent Infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milly M Choy

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available The mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV is a cause of significant global health burden, with an estimated 390 million infections occurring annually. However, no licensed vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for dengue is available. DENV interacts with host cell factors to complete its life cycle although this virus-host interplay remains to be fully elucidated. Many studies have identified the ubiquitin proteasome pathway (UPP to be important for successful DENV production, but how the UPP contributes to DENV life cycle as host factors remains ill defined. We show here that proteasome inhibition decouples infectious virus production from viral RNA replication in antibody-dependent infection of THP-1 cells. Molecular and imaging analyses in β-lactone treated THP-1 cells suggest that proteasome function does not prevent virus assembly but rather DENV egress. Intriguingly, the licensed proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, is able to inhibit DENV titers at low nanomolar drug concentrations for different strains of all four serotypes of DENV in primary monocytes. Furthermore, bortezomib treatment of DENV-infected mice inhibited the spread of DENV in the spleen as well as the overall pathological changes. Our findings suggest that preventing DENV egress through proteasome inhibition could be a suitable therapeutic strategy against dengue.

  11. What do we really know about the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in muscle atrophy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagoe, R. T.; Goldberg, A. L.

    2001-01-01

    Studies of many different rodent models of muscle wasting have indicated that accelerated proteolysis via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is the principal cause of muscle atrophy induced by fasting, cancer cachexia, metabolic acidosis, denervation, disuse, diabetes, sepsis, burns, hyperthyroidism and excess glucocorticoids. However, our understanding about how muscle proteins are degraded, and how the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is activated in muscle under these conditions, is still very limited. The identities of the important ubiquitin-protein ligases in skeletal muscle, and the ways in which they recognize substrates are still largely unknown. Recent in-vitro studies have suggested that one set of ubquitination enzymes, E2(14K) and E3(alpha), which are responsible for the 'N-end rule' system of ubiquitination, plays an important role in muscle, especially in catabolic states. However, their functional significance in degrading different muscle proteins is still unclear. This review focuses on the many gaps in our understanding of the functioning of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in muscle atrophy, and highlights the strengths and limitations of the different experimental approaches used in such studies.

  12. Proteasomal degradation of sphingosine kinase 1 and inhibition of dihydroceramide desaturase by the sphingosine kinase inhibitors, SKi or ABC294640, induces growth arrest in androgen-independent LNCaP-AI prostate cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNaughton, Melissa; Pitman, Melissa; Pitson, Stuart M; Pyne, Nigel J; Pyne, Susan

    2016-03-29

    Sphingosine kinases (two isoforms termed SK1 and SK2) catalyse the formation of the bioactive lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate. We demonstrate here that the SK2 inhibitor, ABC294640 (3-(4-chlorophenyl)-adamantane-1-carboxylic acid (pyridin-4-ylmethyl)amide) or the SK1/SK2 inhibitor, SKi (2-(p-hydroxyanilino)-4-(p-chlorophenyl)thiazole)) induce the proteasomal degradation of SK1a (Mr = 42 kDa) and inhibit DNA synthesis in androgen-independent LNCaP-AI prostate cancer cells. These effects are recapitulated by the dihydroceramide desaturase (Des1) inhibitor, fenretinide. Moreover, SKi or ABC294640 reduce Des1 activity in Jurkat cells and ABC294640 induces the proteasomal degradation of Des1 (Mr = 38 kDa) in LNCaP-AI prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, SKi or ABC294640 or fenretinide increase the expression of the senescence markers, p53 and p21 in LNCaP-AI prostate cancer cells. The siRNA knockdown of SK1 or SK2 failed to increase p53 and p21 expression, but the former did reduce DNA synthesis in LNCaP-AI prostate cancer cells. Moreover, N-acetylcysteine (reactive oxygen species scavenger) blocked the SK inhibitor-induced increase in p21 and p53 expression but had no effect on the proteasomal degradation of SK1a. In addition, siRNA knockdown of Des1 increased p53 expression while a combination of Des1/SK1 siRNA increased the expression of p21. Therefore, Des1 and SK1 participate in regulating LNCaP-AI prostate cancer cell growth and this involves p53/p21-dependent and -independent pathways. Therefore, we propose targeting androgen-independent prostate cancer cells with compounds that affect Des1/SK1 to modulate both de novo and sphingolipid rheostat pathways in order to induce growth arrest.

  13. Murraya koenigii leaf extract inhibits proteasome activity and induces cell death in breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noolu, Bindu; Ajumeera, Rajanna; Chauhan, Anitha; Nagalla, Balakrishna; Manchala, Raghunath; Ismail, Ayesha

    2013-01-09

    Inhibition of the proteolytic activity of 26S proteasome, the protein-degrading machine, is now considered a novel and promising approach for cancer therapy. Interestingly, proteasome inhibitors have been demonstrated to selectively kill cancer cells and also enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, polyphenols/flavonoids have been reported to inhibit proteasome activity. Murraya koenigii Spreng, a medicinally important herb of Indian origin, has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Here we show that Murraya koenigii leaves (curry leaves), a rich source of polyphenols, inhibit the proteolytic activity of the cancer cell proteasome, and cause cell death. Hydro-methanolic extract of curry leaves (CLE) was prepared and its total phenolic content [TPC] determined by, the Folin-Ciocalteau's method. Two human breast carcinoma cell lines: MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and a normal human lung fibroblast cell line, WI-38 were used for the studies. Cytotoxicity of the CLE was assessed by the MTT assay. We studied the effect of CLE on growth kinetics using colony formation assay. Growth arrest was assessed by cell cycle analysis and apoptosis by Annexin-V binding using flow cytometry. Inhibition of the endogenous 26S proteasome was studied in intact cells and cell extracts using substrates specific to 20S proteasomal enzymes. CLE decreased cell viability and altered the growth kinetics in both the breast cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. It showed a significant arrest of cells in the S phase albeit in cancer cells only. Annexin V binding data suggests that cell death was via the apoptotic pathway in both the cancer cell lines. CLE treatment significantly decreased the activity of the 26S proteasome in the cancer but not normal cells. Our study suggests M. koenigii leaves to be a potent source of proteasome inhibitors that lead to cancer cell death. Therefore, identification of active component(s) from the leaf

  14. Proteasome inhibitor MG132 sensitizes HPV-positive human cervical cancer cells to rhTRAIL-induced apoptosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hougardy, BMT; Maduro, JH; van der Zee, AGJ; de Groot, DJA; van den Heuvel, FAJ; de Vries, EGE; de Jong, S

    2006-01-01

    In cervical carcinogenesis, the p53 tumor suppressor pathway is disrupted by HPV (human papilloma virus) E6 oncogene expression. E6 targets p53 for rapid proteasome-mediated degradation. We therefore investigated whether proteasome inhibition by MG132 could restore wild-type p53 levels and sensitize

  15. Characterisation of 20S Proteasome in Tritrichomonas foetus and Its Role during the Cell Cycle and Transformation into Endoflagellar Form.

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    Antonio Pereira-Neves

    Full Text Available Proteasomes are intracellular complexes that control selective protein degradation in organisms ranging from Archaea to higher eukaryotes. These structures have multiple proteolytic activities that are required for cell differentiation, replication and maintaining cellular homeostasis. Here, we document the presence of the 20S proteasome in the protist parasite Tritrichomonas foetus. Complementary techniques, such as a combination of whole genome sequencing technologies, bioinformatics algorithms, cell fractionation and biochemistry and microscopy approaches were used to characterise the 20S proteasome of T. foetus. The 14 homologues of the typical eukaryotic proteasome subunits were identified in the T. foetus genome. Alignment analyses showed that the main regulatory and catalytic domains of the proteasome were conserved in the predicted amino acid sequences from T. foetus-proteasome subunits. Immunofluorescence assays using an anti-proteasome antibody revealed a labelling distributed throughout the cytosol as punctate cytoplasmic structures and in the perinuclear region. Electron microscopy of a T. foetus-proteasome-enriched fraction confirmed the presence of particles that resembled the typical eukaryotic 20S proteasome. Fluorogenic assays using specific peptidyl substrates detected presence of the three typical peptidase activities of eukaryotic proteasomes in T. foetus. As expected, these peptidase activities were inhibited by lactacystin, a well-known specific proteasome inhibitor, and were not affected by inhibitors of serine or cysteine proteases. During the transformation of T. foetus to endoflagellar form (EFF, also known as pseudocyst, we observed correlations between the EFF formation rates, increases in the proteasome activities and reduced levels of ubiquitin-protein conjugates. The growth, cell cycle and EFF transformation of T. foetus were inhibited after treatment with lactacystin in a dose-dependent manner. Lactacystin

  16. Mechanism of Action of Bortezomib and the New Proteasome Inhibitors on Myeloma Cells and the Bone Microenvironment: Impact on Myeloma-Induced Alterations of Bone Remodeling

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    Fabrizio Accardi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Multiple myeloma (MM is characterized by a high capacity to induce alterations in the bone remodeling process. The increase in osteoclastogenesis and the suppression of osteoblast formation are both involved in the pathophysiology of the bone lesions in MM. The proteasome inhibitor (PI bortezomib is the first drug designed and approved for the treatment of MM patients by targeting the proteasome. However, recently novel PIs have been developed to overcome bortezomib resistance. Interestingly, several preclinical data indicate that the proteasome complex is involved in both osteoclast and osteoblast formation. It is also evident that bortezomib either inhibits osteoclast differentiation induced by the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB ligand (RANKL or stimulates the osteoblast differentiation. Similarly, the new PIs including carfilzomib and ixazomib can inhibit bone resorption and stimulate the osteoblast differentiation. In a clinical setting, PIs restore the abnormal bone remodeling by normalizing the levels of bone turnover markers. In addition, a bone anabolic effect was described in responding MM patients treated with PIs, as demonstrated by the increase in the osteoblast number. This review summarizes the preclinical and clinical evidence on the effects of bortezomib and other new PIs on myeloma bone disease.

  17. E1AF degradation by a ubiquitin-proteasome pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Akiko; Higashino, Fumihiro; Aoyagi, Mariko; Yoshida, Koichi; Itoh, Miyuki; Kobayashi, Masanobu; Totsuka, Yasunori; Kohgo, Takao; Shindoh, Masanobu

    2005-01-01

    E1AF is a member of the ETS family of transcription factors. In mammary tumors, overexpression of E1AF is associated with tumorigenesis, but E1AF protein has hardly been detected and its degradation mechanism is not yet clear. Here we show that E1AF protein is stabilized by treatment with the 26S protease inhibitor MG132. We found that E1AF was modified by ubiquitin through the C-terminal region and ubiquitinated E1AF aggregated in nuclear dots, and that the inhibition of proteasome-activated transcription from E1AF target promoters. These results suggest that E1AF is degraded via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which has some effect on E1AF function

  18. Natural proteasome inhibitor celastrol suppresses androgen-independent prostate cancer progression by modulating apoptotic proteins and NF-kappaB.

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    Yao Dai

    Full Text Available Celastrol is a natural proteasome inhibitor that exhibits promising anti-tumor effects in human malignancies, especially the androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC with constitutive NF-κB activation. Celastrol induces apoptosis by means of proteasome inhibition and suppresses prostate tumor growth. However, the detailed mechanism of action remains elusive. In the current study, we aim to test the hypothesis that celastrol suppresses AIPC progression via inhibiting the constitutive NF-κB activity as well as modulating the Bcl-2 family proteins.We examined the efficacy of celastrol both in vitro and in vivo, and evaluated the role of NF-κB in celastrol-mediated AIPC regression. We found that celastrol inhibited cell proliferation in all three AIPC cell lines (PC-3, DU145 and CL1, with IC₅₀ in the range of 1-2 µM. Celastrol also suppressed cell migration and invasion. Celastrol significantly induced apoptosis as evidenced by increased sub-G1 population, caspase activation and PARP cleavage. Moreover, celastrol promoted cleavage of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1 and activated the pro-apoptotic protein Noxa. In addition, celastrol rapidly blocked cytosolic IκBα degradation and nuclear translocation of RelA. Likewise, celastrol inhibited the expression of multiple NF-κB target genes that are involved in proliferation, invasion and anti-apoptosis. Celastrol suppressed AIPC tumor progression by inhibiting proliferation, increasing apoptosis and decreasing angiogenesis, in PC-3 xenograft model in nude mouse. Furthermore, increased cellular IκBα and inhibited expression of various NF-κB target genes were observed in tumor tissues.Our data suggest that, via targeting the proteasome, celastrol suppresses proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis by inducing the apoptotic machinery and attenuating constitutive NF-κB activity in AIPC both in vitro and in vivo. Celastrol as an active ingredient of traditional herbal medicine could thus be

  19. BAG3 down-modulation reduces anaplastic thyroid tumor growth by enhancing proteasome-mediated degradation of BRAF protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiappetta, Gennaro; Basile, Anna; Arra, Claudio; Califano, Daniela; Pasquinelli, Rosa; Barbieri, Antonio; De Simone, Veronica; Rea, Domenica; Giudice, Aldo; Pezzullo, Luciano; De Laurenzi, Vincenzo; Botti, Gerardo; Losito, Simona; Conforti, Daniela; Turco, Maria Caterina

    2012-01-01

    Anaplastic thyroid tumors (ATC) express high levels of BAG3, a member of the BAG family of cochaperone proteins that is involved in regulating cell apoptosis through multiple mechanisms. The objective of the study was the investigation of the influence of B-cell lymphoma-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) on ATC growth. We investigated the effects of BAG3 down-modulation, obtained by using a specific small interfering RNA, on in vitro and in vivo growth of the human ATC cell line 8505C. Because BRAF protein plays an important role in ATC cell growth, we analyzed the effects of BAG3 down-modulation on BRAF protein levels. Furthermore, by using a proteasome inhibitor, we verified whether BAG3-mediated regulation of BRAF levels involved a proteasome-dependent mechanism. BAG3 down-modulation significantly inhibits ATC growth in vitro and in vivo. BAG3 coimmunoprecipitates with BRAF protein, and its down-modulation results in a significant reduction of BRAF protein levels, which can be reverted by incubation with the proteasome inhibitor MG132. BAG3 protein sustains ATC growth in vitro and in vivo. The underlying molecular mechanism appears to rely on BAG3 binding to BRAF, thus protecting it from proteasome-dependent degradation. These results are in line with the reported ability of BAG3 to interfere with the proteasomal delivery of a number of other client proteins.

  20. Angiotensin II Regulates Th1 T Cell Differentiation Through Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor-PKA-Mediated Activation of Proteasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Xian-Yun; Zhang, Yun-Long; Chi, Ya-Fei; Yan, Bo; Zeng, Xiang-Jun; Li, Hui-Hua; Liu, Ying

    2018-01-01

    Naive CD4+ T cells differentiate into T helper cells (Th1 and Th2) that play an essential role in the cardiovascular diseases. However, the molecular mechanism by which angiotensin II (Ang II) promotes Th1 differentiation remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether the Ang II-induced Th1 differentiation regulated by ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Jurkat cells were treated with Ang II (100 nM) in the presence or absence of different inhibitors. The gene mRNA levels were detected by real-time quantitative PCR analysis. The protein levels were measured by ELISA assay or Western blot analysis, respectively. Ang II treatment significantly induced a shift from Th0 to Th1 cell differentiation, which was markedly blocked by angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) inhibitor Losartan (LST). Moreover, Ang II significantly increased the activities and the expression of proteasome catalytic subunits (β1, β1i, β2i and β5i) in a dose- and time-dependent manner. However, Ang II-induced proteasome activities were remarkably abrogated by LST and PKA inhibitor H-89. Mechanistically, Ang II-induced Th1 differentiation was at least in part through proteasome-mediated degradation of IκBα and MKP-1 and activation of STAT1 and NF-κB. This study for the first time demonstrates that Ang II activates AT1R-PKA-proteasome pathway, which promotes degradation of IκBα and MKP-1 and activation of STAT1 and NF-κB thereby leading to Th1 differentiation. Thus, inhibition of proteasome activation might be a potential therapeutic target for Th1-mediated diseases. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Nelfinavir augments proteasome inhibition by bortezomib in myeloma cells and overcomes bortezomib and carfilzomib resistance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kraus, M; Bader, J; Overkleeft, H; Driessen, C

    2013-01-01

    HIV protease inhibitors (HIV-PI) are oral drugs for HIV treatment. HIV-PI have antitumor activity via induction of ER-stress, inhibition of phospho-AKT (p-AKT) and the proteasome, suggesting antimyeloma activity. We characterize the effects of all approved HIV-PI on myeloma cells. HIV-PI were compared regarding cytotoxicity, proteasome activity, ER-stress induction and AKT phosphorylation using myeloma cells in vitro. Nelfinavir is the HIV-PI with highest cytotoxic activity against primary myeloma cells and with an IC 50 near therapeutic drug blood levels (8–14 μM), irrespective of bortezomib sensitivity. Only nelfinavir inhibited intracellular proteasome activity in situ at drug concentrations <40 μℳ. Ritonavir, saquinavir and lopinavir inhibited p-AKT comparable to nelfinavir, and showed similar synergistic cytotoxicity with bortezomib against bortezomib-sensitive cells. Nelfinavir had superior synergistic activity with bortezomib/carfilzomib in particular against bortezomib/carfilzomib-resistant myeloma cells. It inhibited not only the proteasomal β1/β5 active sites, similar to bortezomib/carfilzomib, but in addition the β2 proteasome activity not targeted by bortezomib/carfilzomib. Additional inhibition of β2 proteasome activity is known to sensitize cells for bortezomib and carfilzomib. Nelfinavir has unique proteasome inhibiting activity in particular on the bortezomib/carfilzomib-insensitive tryptic (β2) proteasome activity in intact myeloma cells, and is active against bortezomib/carfilzomib-resistant myeloma cells in vitro

  2. Murraya koenigii leaf extract inhibits proteasome activity and induces cell death in breast cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Noolu Bindu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Inhibition of the proteolytic activity of 26S proteasome, the protein-degrading machine, is now considered a novel and promising approach for cancer therapy. Interestingly, proteasome inhibitors have been demonstrated to selectively kill cancer cells and also enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, polyphenols/flavonoids have been reported to inhibit proteasome activity. Murraya koenigii Spreng, a medicinally important herb of Indian origin, has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic system of medicine. Here we show that Murraya koenigii leaves (curry leaves, a rich source of polyphenols, inhibit the proteolytic activity of the cancer cell proteasome, and cause cell death. Methods Hydro-methanolic extract of curry leaves (CLE was prepared and its total phenolic content [TPC] determined by, the Folin-Ciocalteau’s method. Two human breast carcinoma cell lines: MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 and a normal human lung fibroblast cell line, WI-38 were used for the studies. Cytotoxicity of the CLE was assessed by the MTT assay. We studied the effect of CLE on growth kinetics using colony formation assay. Growth arrest was assessed by cell cycle analysis and apoptosis by Annexin-V binding using flow cytometry. Inhibition of the endogenous 26S proteasome was studied in intact cells and cell extracts using substrates specific to 20S proteasomal enzymes. Results CLE decreased cell viability and altered the growth kinetics in both the breast cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. It showed a significant arrest of cells in the S phase albeit in cancer cells only. Annexin V binding data suggests that cell death was via the apoptotic pathway in both the cancer cell lines. CLE treatment significantly decreased the activity of the 26S proteasome in the cancer but not normal cells. Conclusions Our study suggests M. koenigii leaves to be a potent source of proteasome inhibitors that lead to cancer cell death

  3. MCPIP1 contributes to the toxicity of proteasome inhibitor MG-132 in HeLa cells by the inhibition of NF-κB.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skalniak, Lukasz; Dziendziel, Monika; Jura, Jolanta

    2014-10-01

    Recently, we have shown that the treatment of cells with proteasome inhibitor MG-132 results in the induction of expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 induced protein 1 (MCPIP1). MCPIP1 is a ribonuclease, responsible for the degradation of transcripts encoding certain pro-inflammatory cytokines. The protein is also known as an inhibitor of NF-κB transcription factor. Thanks to its molecular properties, MCPIP1 is considered as a regulator of inflammation, differentiation, and survival. Using siRNA technology, we show here that MCPIP1 expression contributes to the toxic properties of MG-132 in HeLa cells. The inhibition of proteasome by MG-132 and epoxomicin markedly increased MCPIP1 expression. While MG-132 induces HeLa cell death, down-regulation of MCPIP1 expression by siRNA partially protects HeLa cells from MG-132 toxicity and restores Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity, inhibited by MG-132 treatment. Inversely, overexpression of MCPIP1 decreased constitutive activity of NF-κB and limited the survival of HeLa cells, as we have shown in the previous study. Interestingly, although MG-132 decreased the expression of IκBα and increased p65 phosphorylation, the inhibition of constitutive NF-κB activity was observed in MG-132-treated cells. Since the elevated constitutive activity of NF-κB is one of the mechanisms providing increased survival of cancer cells, including HeLa cells, we propose that death-promoting properties of MCPIP1 in MG-132-treated HeLa cells may, at least partially, derive from the negative effect on the constitutive NF-κB activity.

  4. Inhibition of nuclear factor-κB and target genes during combined therapy with proteasome inhibitor bortezomib and reirradiation in patients with recurrent head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van Waes, Carter; Chang, Angela A.; Lebowitz, Peter F.; Druzgal, Colleen H.; Chen, Zhong; Elsayed, Yusri A.; Sunwoo, John B.; Rudy, Susan; Morris, John C.; Mitchell, James B.; Camphausen, Kevin; Gius, David; Adams, Julian; Sausville, Edward A.; Conley, Barbara A.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To examine the effects the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (VELCADE) on transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and target genes and the feasibility of combination therapy with reirradiation in patients with recurrent head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods and Materials: The tolerability and response to bortezomib 0.6 mg/m 2 and 0.9 mg/m 2 given twice weekly concurrent with daily reirradiation to 50-70 Gy was explored. Blood proteasome inhibition and NF-κB-modulated cytokines and factors were measured. Proteasome inhibition, nuclear localization of NF-κB phospho-p65, apoptosis, and expression of NF-κB-modulated mRNAs were compared in serial biopsies from accessible tumors. Results: The maximally tolerated dose was exceeded, and study was limited to 7 and 2 patients, respectively, given bortezomib 0.6 mg/m 2 and 0.9 mg/m 2 /dose with reirradiation. Grade 3 hypotension and hyponatremia were dose limiting. Mucositis was Grade 3 or less and was delayed. The mean blood proteasome inhibition at 1, 24, and 48 h after 0.6 mg/m 2 was 32%, 16%, and 7% and after 0.9 mg/m 2 was 56%, 26%, and 14%, respectively. Differences in proteasome and NF-κB activity, apoptosis, and expression of NF-κB-modulated cell cycle, apoptosis, and angiogenesis factor mRNAs were detected in 2 patients with minor tumor reductions and in serum NF-κB-modulated cytokines in 1 patient with a major tumor reduction. Conclusions: In combination with reirradiation, the maximally tolerated dose of bortezomib was exceeded at a dose of 0.6 mg/m 2 and the threshold of proteasome inhibition. Although this regimen with reirradiation is not feasible, bortezomib induced detectable differences in NF-κB localization, apoptosis, and NF-κB-modulated genes and cytokines in tumor and serum in association with tumor reduction, indicating that other schedules of bortezomib combined with primary radiotherapy or reirradiation may merit future investigation

  5. A cytosolic protein factor from the naked mole-rat activates proteasomes of other species and protects these from inhibition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodriguez, Karl A.; Osmulski, Pawel A.; Pierce, Anson; Weintraub, Susan T.; Gaczynska, Maria; Buffenstein, Rochelle

    2015-01-01

    The naked mole-rat maintains robust proteostasis and high levels of proteasome-mediated proteolysis for most of its exceptional (~31y) life span. Here, we report that the highly active proteasome from the naked mole-rat liver resists attenuation by a diverse suite of proteasome-specific small molecule inhibitors. Moreover, mouse, human, and yeast proteasomes exposed to the proteasome-depleted, naked mole-rat cytosolic fractions, recapitulate the observed inhibition resistance, and mammalian proteasomes also show increased activity. Gel filtration coupled with mass spectrometry and atomic force microscopy indicates that these traits are supported by a protein factor that resides in the cytosol. This factor interacts with the proteasome and modulates its activity. Although HSP72 and HSP40 (Hdj1) are among the constituents of this factor, the observed phenomenon, such as increasing peptidase activity and protecting against inhibition cannot be reconciled with any known chaperone functions. This novel function may contribute to the exceptional protein homeostasis in the naked mole-rat and allow it to successfully defy aging. PMID:25018089

  6. Sorafenib enhances proteasome inhibitor-mediated cytotoxicity via inhibition of unfolded protein response and keratin phosphorylation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honma, Yuichi; Harada, Masaru

    2013-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly resistant to conventional systemic therapies and prognosis for advanced HCC patients remains poor. Recent studies of the molecular mechanisms responsible for tumor initiation and progression have identified several potential molecular targets in HCC. Sorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor shown to have survival benefits in advanced HCC. It acts by inhibiting the serine/threonine kinases and the receptor type tyrosine kinases. In preclinical experiments sorafenib had anti-proliferative activity in hepatoma cells and it reduced tumor angiogenesis and increased apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the cytotoxic mechanisms of sorafenib include its inhibitory effects on protein ubiquitination, unfolded protein response (UPR) and keratin phosphorylation in response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Moreover, we show that combined treatment with sorafenib and proteasome inhibitors (PIs) synergistically induced a marked increase in cell death in hepatoma- and hepatocyte-derived cells. These observations may open the way to potentially interesting treatment combinations that may augment the effect of sorafenib, possibly including drugs that promote ER stress. Because sorafenib blocked the cellular defense mechanisms against hepatotoxic injury not only in hepatoma cells but also in hepatocyte-derived cells, we must be careful to avoid severe liver injury. -- Graphical abstract: Display Omitted -- Highlights: •We examined the cytotoxic mechanisms of sorafenib in hepatoma cells. •Sorafenib induces cell death via apoptotic and necrotic fashion. •Sorafenib inhibits protein ubiquitination and unfolded protein response. •Autophagy induced by sorafenib may affect its cytotoxicity. •Sorafenib inhibits keratin phosphorylation and cytoplasmic inclusion formation

  7. SOCS-1 localizes to the microtubule organizing complex-associated 20S proteasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vuong, Bao Q; Arenzana, Teresita L; Showalter, Brian M; Losman, Julie; Chen, X Peter; Mostecki, Justin; Banks, Alexander S; Limnander, Andre; Fernandez, Neil; Rothman, Paul B

    2004-10-01

    The regulation of cytokine signaling is critical for controlling cellular proliferation and activation during an immune response. SOCS-1 is a potent inhibitor of Jak kinase activity and of signaling initiated by several cytokines. SOCS-1 protein levels are tightly regulated, and recent data suggest that SOCS-1 may regulate the protein levels of some signaling proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome pathway; however, the cellular mechanism by which SOCS-1 directs proteins for degradation is unknown. In this report, SOCS-1 is found to colocalize and biochemically copurify with the microtubule organizing complex (MTOC) and its associated 20S proteasome. The SOCS-1 SH2 domain is required for the localization of SOCS-1 to the MTOC. Overexpression of SOCS-1 targets Jak1 in an SH2-dependent manner to a perinuclear distribution resembling the MTOC-associated 20S proteasome. Analysis of MTOCs fractionated from SOCS-1-deficient cells demonstrates that SOCS-1 may function redundantly to regulate the localization of Jak1 to the MTOC. Nocodazole inhibits the protein turnover of SOCS-1, demonstrating that the minus-end transport of SOCS-1 to the MTOC-associated 20S proteasome is required to regulate SOCS-1 protein levels. These data link SOCS-1 directly with the proteasome pathway and suggest another function for the SH2 domain of SOCS-1 in the regulation of Jak/STAT signaling.

  8. Bacterial proteasome activator bpa (rv3780) is a novel ring-shaped interactor of the mycobacterial proteasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delley, Cyrille L; Laederach, Juerg; Ziemski, Michal; Bolten, Marcel; Boehringer, Daniel; Weber-Ban, Eilika

    2014-01-01

    The occurrence of the proteasome in bacteria is limited to the phylum of actinobacteria, where it is maintained in parallel to the usual bacterial compartmentalizing proteases. The role it plays in these organisms is still not fully understood, but in the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) the proteasome supports persistence in the host. In complex with the ring-shaped ATPase Mpa (called ARC in other actinobacteria), the proteasome can degrade proteins that have been post-translationally modified with the prokaryotic ubiquitin-like protein Pup. Unlike for the eukaryotic proteasome core particle, no other bacterial proteasome interactors have been identified to date. Here we describe and characterize a novel bacterial proteasome activator of Mycobacterium tuberculosis we termed Bpa (Rv3780), using a combination of biochemical and biophysical methods. Bpa features a canonical C-terminal proteasome interaction motif referred to as the HbYX motif, and its orthologs are only found in those actinobacteria encoding the proteasomal subunits. Bpa can inhibit degradation of Pup-tagged substrates in vitro by competing with Mpa for association with the proteasome. Using negative-stain electron microscopy, we show that Bpa forms a ring-shaped homooligomer that can bind coaxially to the face of the proteasome cylinder. Interestingly, Bpa can stimulate the proteasomal degradation of the model substrate β-casein, which suggests it could play a role in the removal of non-native or damaged proteins.

  9. Inhibition of autophagy induced by proteasome inhibition increases cell death in human SHG-44 glioma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ge, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Ji-Zhou; Wang, Xiao-Fei; Meng, Fan-Kai; Li, Wen-Chen; Luan, Yong-Xin; Ling, Feng; Luo, Yi-Nan

    2009-07-01

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and lysosome-dependent macroautophagy (autophagy) are two major intracellular pathways for protein degradation. Recent studies suggest that proteasome inhibitors may reduce tumor growth and activate autophagy. Due to the dual roles of autophagy in tumor cell survival and death, the effect of autophagy on the destiny of glioma cells remains unclear. In this study, we sought to investigate whether inhibition of the proteasome can induce autophagy and the effects of autophagy on the fate of human SHG-44 glioma cells. The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 was used to induce autophagy in SHG-44 glioma cells, and the effect of autophagy on the survival of SHG-44 glioma cells was investigated using an autophagy inhibitor 3-MA. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of autophagy related proteins was determined by Western blot. MG-132 inhibited cell proliferation, induced cell death and cell cycle arrest at G(2)/M phase, and activated autophagy in SHG-44 glioma cells. The expression of autophagy-related Beclin-1 and LC3-I was significantly up-regulated and part of LC3-I was converted into LC3-II. However, when SHG-44 glioma cells were co-treated with MG-132 and 3-MA, the cells became less viable, but cell death and cell numbers at G(2)/M phase increased. Moreover, the accumulation of acidic vesicular organelles was decreased, the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3 was significantly down-regulated and the conversion of LC3-II from LC3-I was also inhibited. Inhibition of the proteasome can induce autophagy in human SHG-44 glioma cells, and inhibition of autophagy increases cell death. This discovery may shed new light on the effect of autophagy on modulating the fate of SHG-44 glioma cells.Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2009) 30: 1046-1052; doi: 10.1038/aps.2009.71.

  10. The Proteasome Inhibitor MG-132 Protects Hypoxic SiHa Cervical Carcinoma Cells after Cyclic Hypoxia/Reoxygenation from Ionizing Radiation

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    Frank Pajonk

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Transient hypoxia and subsequent reoxygenation are common phenomena in solid tumors that greatly influence the outcome of radiation therapy. This study was designed to determine how varying cycles of hypoxia/reoxygenation affect the response of cervical carcinoma cells irradiated under oxic and hypoxic conditions and whether this could be modulated by proteasome inhibition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plateau-phase SiHa cervical carcinoma cells in culture were exposed to varying numbers of 30-minute cycles of hypoxia/reoxygenation directly before irradiation under oxic or hypoxic conditions. 26S Proteasome activity was blocked by addition of MG-132. Clonogenic survival was measured by a colonyforming assay. RESULTS: Under oxic conditions, repeated cycles of hypoxia/reoxygenation decreased the clonogenic survival of SiHa cells. This effect was even more pronounced after the inhibition of 26S proteasome complex. In contrast, under hypoxic conditions, SiHa cells were radioresistant, as expected, but this was increased by proteasome inhibition. CONCLUSIONS: Proteasome inhibition radiosensitizes oxygenated tumor cells but may also protect tumor cells from ionizing radiation under certain hypoxic conditions.

  11. Geldanamycin-induced degradation of Chk1 is mediated by proteasome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nomura, M.; Nomura, N.; Yamashita, J.

    2005-01-01

    Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) is a cell cycle regulator and a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) client. It is essential for cell proliferation and survival. In this report, we analyzed the mechanisms of Chk1 regulation in U87MG glioblastoma cells using Geldanamycin (GA), which interferes with the function of Hsp90. GA reduced Chk1 protein level but not its mRNA level in glioblastoma cells. Co-treatment with GA and cycloheximide (CHX), a protein synthesis inhibitor, induced a decrease of half-life of the Chk1 protein to 3 h and resulted in Chk1 down-regulation. CHX alone induced only 32% reduction of Chk1 protein even after 24 h. These findings indicated that reduction of Chk1 by GA was due to destabilization and degradation of the protein. In addition, GA-induced down-regulation of Chk1 was reversed by MG132, a specific proteasome inhibitor. And it was revealed that Chk1 was ubiquitinated by GA. These results have indicated that degradation of Chk1 by GA was mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in U87MG glioblastoma cells

  12. Insulin-like Growth Factor-I Mediates Neuroprotection in Proteasome Inhibition-Induced Cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y Cells

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    Cheng, Benxu; Maffi, Shivani Kaushal; Martinez, Alex Anthony; Acosta, Yolanda P Villarreal; Morales, Liza D; Roberts, James L

    2011-01-01

    The proteasome is an enzyme complex responsible for targeted intracellular proteolysis. Alterations in proteasome-mediated protein clearance have been implicated in the pathogenesis of aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). In such diseases, proteasome inhibition may contribute to formation of abnormal protein aggregates, which in turn activate intracellular unfolded protein responses that cause oxidative stress and apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-1) for neural SH-SY5Y cells treated with the proteasomal inhibitor, Epoxomicin, In SH-SY5Y cells, Epoxomicin treatment results in accumulation of intracellular ubiquitinated proteins and cytochrome c release from damaged mitochondria, leading to cell death, in Epoxomicin time- and dose-dependent manner. In cells treated with small amounts of IGF-1, the same dosages of Epoxomicin reduced both mitochondrial damage (cytochrome c release) and reduced caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage, both of which are markers of apoptosis. Notably, however, IGF-1-treated SH-SY5Y cells still contained ubiquitinated protein aggregates. This result indicates that IGF-1 blocks the downstream apoptotic consequences of Epoxomicin treatment leading to decreased proteasome function. Clues as to the mechanism for this protective effect come from (a) increased AKT phosphorylation observed in IGF-1-protected cells, vs. cells exposed to Epoxomicin without IGF-1, and (b) reduction of IGF-1 protection by pretreatment of the cells with LY294002 (an inhibitor of PI3-kinase). Together these findings suggest that activation of PI3/AKT pathways by IGF-1 is involved in IGF-1 neuroprotection against apoptosis following proteasome inhibition. PMID:21545837

  13. Nigrostriatal proteasome inhibition impairs dopamine neurotransmission and motor function in minipigs.

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    Lillethorup, Thea P; Glud, Andreas N; Alstrup, Aage K O; Mikkelsen, Trine W; Nielsen, Erik H; Zaer, Hamed; Doudet, Doris J; Brooks, David J; Sørensen, Jens Christian H; Orlowski, Dariusz; Landau, Anne M

    2018-05-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra leading to slowness and stiffness of limb movement with rest tremor. Using ubiquitin proteasome system inhibitors, rodent models have shown nigrostriatal degeneration and motor impairment. We translated this model to the Göttingen minipig by administering lactacystin into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB). Minipigs underwent positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with (+)-α-[ 11 C]dihydrotetrabenazine ([ 11 C]DTBZ), a marker of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 availability, at baseline and three weeks after the unilateral administration of 100 μg lactacystin into the MFB. Compared to their baseline values, minipigs injected with lactacystin showed on average a 36% decrease in ipsilateral striatal binding potential corresponding to impaired presynaptic dopamine terminals. Behaviourally, minipigs displayed asymmetrical motor disability with spontaneous rotations in one of the animals. Immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and HLA-DR-positive microglia confirmed asymmetrical reduction in nigral TH-positive neurons with an inflammatory response in the lactacystin-injected minipigs. In conclusion, direct injection of lactacystin into the MFB of minipigs provides a model of PD with reduced dopamine neurotransmission, TH-positive neuron reduction, microglial activation and behavioural deficits. This large animal model could be useful in studies of symptomatic and neuroprotective therapies with translatability to human PD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Proteasome-independent degradation of HIV-1 in naturally non-permissive human placental trophoblast cells

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    Barré-Sinoussi Françoise

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The human placenta-derived cell line BeWo has been demonstrated to be restrictive to cell-free HIV-1 infection. BeWo cells are however permissive to infection by VSV-G pseudotyped HIV-1, which enters cells by a receptor-independent mechanism, and to infection by HIV-1 via a cell-to-cell route. Results Here we analysed viral entry in wild type BeWo (CCR5+, CXCR4+ and BeWo-CD4+ (CD4+, CCR5+, CXCR4+ cells. We report that HIV-1 internalisation is not restricted in either cell line. Levels of internalised p24 antigen between VSV-G HIV-1 pseudotypes and R5 or X4 virions were comparable. We next analysed the fate of internalised virions; X4 and R5 HIV-1 virions were less stable over time in BeWo cells than VSV-G HIV-1 pseudotypes. We then investigated the role of the proteasome in restricting cell-free HIV-1 infection in BeWo cells using proteasome inhibitors. We observed an increase in the levels of VSV-G pseudotyped HIV-1 infection in proteasome-inhibitor treated cells, but the infection by R5-Env or X4-Env pseudotyped virions remains restricted. Conclusion Collectively these results suggest that cell-free HIV-1 infection encounters a surface block leading to a non-productive entry route, which either actively targets incoming virions for non-proteasomal degradation, and impedes their release into the cytoplasm, or causes the inactivation of mechanisms essential for viral replication.

  15. Phase 1 clinical trial of the novel proteasome inhibitor marizomib with the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat in patients with melanoma, pancreatic and lung cancer based on in vitro assessments of the combination.

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    Millward, Michael; Price, Timothy; Townsend, Amanda; Sweeney, Christopher; Spencer, Andrew; Sukumaran, Shawgi; Longenecker, Angie; Lee, Lonnie; Lay, Ana; Sharma, Girish; Gemmill, Robert M; Drabkin, Harry A; Lloyd, G Kenneth; Neuteboom, Saskia T C; McConkey, David J; Palladino, Michael A; Spear, Matthew A

    2012-12-01

    Combining proteasome and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition has been seen to provide synergistic anti-tumor activity, with complementary effects on a number of signaling pathways. The novel bi-cyclic structure of marizomib with its unique proteasome inhibition, toxicology and efficacy profiles, suggested utility in combining it with an HDAC inhibitor such as vorinostat. Thus, in this study in vitro studies assessed the potential utility of combining marizomib and vorinostat, followed by a clinical trial with the objectives of assessing the recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), safety and preliminary anti-tumor activity of the combination in patients. Combinations of marizomib and vorinostat were assessed in vitro. Subsequently, in a Phase 1 clinical trial patients with melanoma, pancreatic carcinoma or Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) were given escalating doses of weekly marizomib in combination with vorinostat 300 mg daily for 16 days in 28 day cycles. In addition to standard safety studies, proteasome inhibition and pharmacokinetics were assayed. Marked synergy of marizomib and vorinostat was seen in tumor cell lines derived from patients with NSCLC, melanoma and pancreatic carcinoma. In the clinical trial, 22 patients were enrolled. Increased toxicity was not seen with the combination. Co-administration did not appear to affect the PK or PD of either drug in comparison to historical data. Although no responses were demonstrated using RECIST criteria, 61% of evaluable patients demonstrated stable disease with 39% having decreases in tumor measurements. Treatment of multiple tumor cell lines with marizomib and vorinostat resulted in a highly synergistic antitumor activity. The combination of full dose marizomib with vorinostat is tolerable in patients with safety findings consistent with either drug alone.

  16. A genome-wide siRNA screen identifies proteasome addiction as a vulnerability of basal-like triple-negative breast cancer cells

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    Petrocca, Fabio; Altschuler, Gabriel; Tan, Shen Mynn; Mendillo, Marc L.; Yan, Haoheng; Jerry, D. Joseph; Kung, Andrew L.; Hide, Winston; Ince, Tan A.; Lieberman, Judy

    2013-01-01

    Summary Basal-like triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) have poor prognosis. To identify basal-like TNBC dependencies, a genome-wide siRNA lethality screen compared two human breast epithelial cell lines transformed with the same genes - basal-like BPLER and myoepithelial HMLER. Expression of the screen’s 154 BPLER dependency genes correlated with poor prognosis in breast, but not lung or colon, cancer. Proteasome genes were overrepresented hits. Basal-like TNBC lines were selectively sensitive to proteasome inhibitor drugs relative to normal epithelial, luminal and mesenchymal TNBC lines. Proteasome inhibition reduced growth of established basal-like TNBC tumors in mice and blocked tumor-initiating cell function and macrometastasis. Proteasome addiction in basal-like TNBCs was mediated by NOXA and linked to MCL-1 dependence. PMID:23948298

  17. Puromycin induces SUMO and ubiquitin redistribution upon proteasome inhibition

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    Matsumoto, Hotaru; Saitoh, Hisato

    2016-01-01

    We have previously reported the co-localization of O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro) with SUMO-2/3 and ubiquitin at promyelocytic leukemia-nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) in the presence of the proteasome inhibitor MG132, implying a role for the ubiquitin family in sequestering OP-puromycylated immature polypeptides to the nucleus during impaired proteasome activity. Here, we found that as expected puromycin induced SUMO-1/2/3 accumulation with ubiquitin at multiple nuclear foci in HeLa cells when co-exposed to MG132. Co-administration of puromycin and MG132 also facilitated redistribution of PML and the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase RNF4 concurrently with SUMO-2/3. As removal of the drugs from the medium led to disappearance of the SUMO-2/3-ubiquitin nuclear foci, our findings indicated that nuclear assembly/disassembly of SUMO-2/3 and ubiquitin was pharmacologically manipulable, supporting our previous observation on OP-Puro, which predicted the ubiquitin family function in sequestrating aberrant proteins to the nucleus. -- Highlights: •Puromycin exhibits the O-propargyl-puromycin effect. •Puromycin induces SUMO redistribution upon proteasome inhibition. •Ubiquitin and RNF4 accumulate at PML-nuclear bodies with SUMO-2/3. •The ubiquitin family may function in nuclear sequestration of immature proteins.

  18. Puromycin induces SUMO and ubiquitin redistribution upon proteasome inhibition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsumoto, Hotaru [Course for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto (Japan); Saitoh, Hisato, E-mail: hisa@kumamoto-u.ac.jp [Course for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto (Japan); Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto (Japan)

    2016-07-29

    We have previously reported the co-localization of O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro) with SUMO-2/3 and ubiquitin at promyelocytic leukemia-nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) in the presence of the proteasome inhibitor MG132, implying a role for the ubiquitin family in sequestering OP-puromycylated immature polypeptides to the nucleus during impaired proteasome activity. Here, we found that as expected puromycin induced SUMO-1/2/3 accumulation with ubiquitin at multiple nuclear foci in HeLa cells when co-exposed to MG132. Co-administration of puromycin and MG132 also facilitated redistribution of PML and the SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase RNF4 concurrently with SUMO-2/3. As removal of the drugs from the medium led to disappearance of the SUMO-2/3-ubiquitin nuclear foci, our findings indicated that nuclear assembly/disassembly of SUMO-2/3 and ubiquitin was pharmacologically manipulable, supporting our previous observation on OP-Puro, which predicted the ubiquitin family function in sequestrating aberrant proteins to the nucleus. -- Highlights: •Puromycin exhibits the O-propargyl-puromycin effect. •Puromycin induces SUMO redistribution upon proteasome inhibition. •Ubiquitin and RNF4 accumulate at PML-nuclear bodies with SUMO-2/3. •The ubiquitin family may function in nuclear sequestration of immature proteins.

  19. Modeling proteasome dynamics in Parkinson's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sneppen, Kim; Lizana, Ludvig; Jensen, Mogens H; Pigolotti, Simone; Otzen, Daniel

    2009-01-01

    In Parkinson's disease (PD), there is evidence that α-synuclein (αSN) aggregation is coupled to dysfunctional or overburdened protein quality control systems, in particular the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Here, we develop a simple dynamical model for the on-going conflict between αSN aggregation and the maintenance of a functional proteasome in the healthy cell, based on the premise that proteasomal activity can be titrated out by mature αSN fibrils and their protofilament precursors. In the presence of excess proteasomes the cell easily maintains homeostasis. However, when the ratio between the available proteasome and the αSN protofilaments is reduced below a threshold level, we predict a collapse of homeostasis and onset of oscillations in the proteasome concentration. Depleted proteasome opens for accumulation of oligomers. Our analysis suggests that the onset of PD is associated with a proteasome population that becomes occupied in periodic degradation of aggregates. This behavior is found to be the general state of a proteasome/chaperone system under pressure, and suggests new interpretations of other diseases where protein aggregation could stress elements of the protein quality control system

  20. Role of Proteasome-Dependent Protein Degradation in Long-Term Operant Memory in "Aplysia"

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    Lyons, Lisa C.; Gardner, Jacob S.; Gandour, Catherine E.; Krishnan, Harini C.

    2017-01-01

    We investigated the in vivo role of protein degradation during intermediate (ITM) and long-term memory (LTM) in "Aplysia" using an operant learning paradigm. The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 inhibited the induction and molecular consolidation of LTM with no effect on ITM. Remarkably, maintenance of steady-state protein levels through…

  1. Compensatory role of the Nrf2–ARE pathway against paraquat toxicity: Relevance of 26S proteasome activity

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    Yasuhiko Izumi

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Oxidative stress and the ubiquitin–proteasome system play a key role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease. Although the herbicide paraquat is an environmental factor that is involved in the etiology of Parkinson disease, the role of 26S proteasome in paraquat toxicity remains to be determined. Using PC12 cells overexpressing a fluorescent protein fused to the proteasome degradation signal, we report here that paraquat yielded an inhibitory effect on 26S proteasome activity without an obvious decline in 20S proteasome activity. Relative low concentrations of proteasome inhibitors caused the accumulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2, which is targeted to the ubiquitin–proteasome system, and activated the antioxidant response element (ARE-dependent transcription. Paraquat also upregulated the protein level of Nrf2 without increased expression of Nrf2 mRNA, and activated the Nrf2–ARE pathway. Consequently, paraquat induced expression of Nrf2-dependent ARE-driven genes, such as γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, catalase, and hemeoxygenase-1. Knockdown of Nrf2 or inhibition of γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase and catalase exacerbated paraquat-induced toxicity, whereas suppression of hemeoxygenase-1 did not. These data indicate that the compensatory activation of the Nrf2–ARE pathway via inhibition of 26S proteasome serves as part of a cellular defense mechanism to protect against paraquat toxicity.

  2. ABA-dependent inhibition of the ubiquitin proteasome system during germination at high temperature in Arabidopsis.

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    Chiu, Rex Shun; Pan, Shiyue; Zhao, Rongmin; Gazzarrini, Sonia

    2016-12-01

    During germination, endogenous and environmental factors trigger changes in the transcriptome, translatome and proteome to break dormancy. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) degrades proteins that promote dormancy to allow germination. While research on the UPS has focused on the identification of proteasomal substrates, little information is known about the regulation of its activity. Here we characterized the activity of the UPS during dormancy release and maintenance by monitoring protein ubiquitination and degradation of two proteasomal substrates: Suc-LLVY-AMC, a well characterized synthetic substrate, and FUSCA3 (FUS3), a dormancy-promoting transcription factor degraded by the 26S proteasome. Our data indicate that proteasome activity and protein ubiquitination increase during imbibition at optimal temperature (21°C), and are required for seed germination. However, abscisic acid (ABA) and supraoptimal temperature (32°C) inhibit germination by dampening both protein ubiquitination and proteasome activity. Inhibition of UPS function by high temperature is reduced by the ABA biosynthesis inhibitor, fluridone, and in ABA biosynthetic mutants, suggesting that it is ABA dependent. Accordingly, inhibition of FUS3 degradation at 32°C is also dependent on ABA. Native gels show that inhibition of proteasome activity is caused by interference with the 26S/30S ratio as well as free 19S and 20S levels, impacting the proteasome degradation cycle. Transfer experiments show that ABA-mediated inhibition of proteasome activity at 21°C is restricted to the first 2 days of germination, a time window corresponding to seed sensitivity to environmental and ABA-mediated growth inhibition. Our data show that ABA and high temperature inhibit germination under unfavourable growth conditions by repressing the UPS. © 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  3. Sensitive detection of proteasomal activation using the Deg-On mammalian synthetic gene circuit.

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    Zhao, Wenting; Bonem, Matthew; McWhite, Claire; Silberg, Jonathan J; Segatori, Laura

    2014-04-08

    The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) has emerged as a drug target for diverse diseases characterized by altered proteostasis, but pharmacological agents that enhance UPS activity have been challenging to establish. Here we report the Deg-On system, a genetic inverter that translates proteasomal degradation of the transcriptional regulator TetR into a fluorescent signal, thereby linking UPS activity to an easily detectable output, which can be tuned using tetracycline. We demonstrate that this circuit responds to modulation of UPS activity in cell culture arising from the inhibitor MG-132 and activator PA28γ. Guided by predictive modelling, we enhanced the circuit's signal sensitivity and dynamic range by introducing a feedback loop that enables self-amplification of TetR. By linking UPS activity to a simple and tunable fluorescence output, these genetic inverters will enable a variety of applications, including screening for UPS activating molecules and selecting for mammalian cells with different levels of proteasome activity.

  4. Divergent tissue and sex effects of rapamycin on the proteasome-chaperone network of old mice

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    Karl Andrew Rodriguez

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Rapamycin, an allosteric inhibitor of the mTOR kinase, increases longevity in mice in a sex-specific manner. In contrast to the widely accepted theory that a loss of proteasome activity is detrimental to both life- and healthspan, biochemical studies in vitro reveal that rapamycin inhibits 20S proteasome peptidase activity. We tested if this unexpected finding is also evident after chronic rapamycin treatment in vivo by measuring peptidase activities for both the 26S and 20S proteasome in liver, fat, and brain tissues of old, male and female mice fed encapsulated chow containing 2.24mg/kg (14 ppm rapamycin for 6 months. Further we assessed if rapamycin altered expression of the chaperone proteins known to interact with the proteasome-mediated degradation system (PMDS, heat shock factor 1 (HSF1, and the levels of key mTOR pathway proteins. Rapamycin had little effect on liver proteasome activity in either gender, but increased proteasome activity in female brain lysates and lowered its activity in female fat tissue. Rapamycin-induced changes in molecular chaperone levels were also more substantial in tissues from female animals. Furthermore, mTOR pathway proteins showed more significant changes in female tissues compared to those from males. These data show collectively that there are divergent tissue and sex effects of rapamycin on the proteasome-chaperone network and that these may be linked to the disparate effects of rapamycin on males and females. Further our findings suggest that rapamycin induces indirect regulation of the PMDS/heat-shock response through its modulation of the mTOR pathway rather than via direct interactions between rapamycin and the proteasome.

  5. Interplay between Structure and Charge as a Key to Allosteric Modulation of Human 20S Proteasome by the Basic Fragment of HIV-1 Tat Protein.

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    Przemysław Karpowicz

    Full Text Available The proteasome is a giant protease responsible for degradation of the majority of cytosolic proteins. Competitive inhibitors of the proteasome are used against aggressive blood cancers. However, broadening the use of proteasome-targeting drugs requires new mechanistic approaches to the enzyme's inhibition. In our previous studies we described Tat1 peptide, an allosteric inhibitor of the proteasome derived from a fragment of the basic domain of HIV-Tat1 protein. Here, we attempted to dissect the structural determinants of the proteasome inhibition by Tat1. Single- and multiple- alanine walking scans were performed. Tat1 analogs with stabilized beta-turn conformation at positions 4-5 and 8-9, pointed out by the molecular dynamics modeling and the alanine scan, were synthesized. Structure of Tat1 analogs were analyzed by circular dichroism, Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies, supplemented by molecular dynamics simulations. Biological activity tests and structural studies revealed that high flexibility and exposed positive charge are hallmarks of Tat1 peptide. Interestingly, stabilization of a beta-turn at the 8-9 position was necessary to significantly improve the inhibitory potency.

  6. Proteasome impairment by α-synuclein.

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    Lisa Zondler

    Full Text Available Parkinson's disease (PD is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder worldwide and characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the patients' midbrains. Both the presence of the protein α-synuclein in intracellular protein aggregates in surviving neurons and the genetic linking of the α-synuclein encoding gene point towards a major role of α-synuclein in PD etiology. The exact pathogenic mechanisms of PD development are not entirely described to date, neither is the specific role of α-synuclein in this context. Previous studies indicate that one aspect of α-synuclein-related cellular toxicity might be direct proteasome impairment. The 20/26S proteasomal machinery is an important instrument of intracellular protein degradation. Thus, direct proteasome impairment by α-synuclein might explain or at least contribute to the formation of intracellular protein aggregates. Therefore this study investigates direct proteasomal impairment by α-synuclein both in vitro using recombinant α-synuclein and isolated proteasomes as well as in living cells. Our experiments demonstrate that the impairment of proteasome activity by α-synuclein is highly dependent upon the cellular background and origin. We show that recombinant α-synuclein oligomers and fibrils scarcely affect 20S proteasome function in vitro, neither does transient α-synuclein expression in U2OS ps 2042 (Ubi(G76V-GFP cells. However, stable expression of both wild-type and mutant α-synuclein in dopaminergic SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells results in a prominent impairment of the chymotrypsin-like 20S/26S proteasomal protein cleavage. Thus, our results support the idea that α-synuclein in a specific cellular environment, potentially present in dopaminergic cells, cannot be processed by the proteasome and thus contributes to a selective vulnerability of dopaminergic cells to α-synuclein pathology.

  7. Role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system in brain ischemia: friend or foe?

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    Caldeira, Margarida V; Salazar, Ivan L; Curcio, Michele; Canzoniero, Lorella M T; Duarte, Carlos B

    2014-01-01

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a catalytic machinery that targets numerous cellular proteins for degradation, thus being essential to control a wide range of basic cellular processes and cell survival. Degradation of intracellular proteins via the UPS is a tightly regulated process initiated by tagging a target protein with a specific ubiquitin chain. Neurons are particularly vulnerable to any change in protein composition, and therefore the UPS is a key regulator of neuronal physiology. Alterations in UPS activity may induce pathological responses, ultimately leading to neuronal cell death. Brain ischemia triggers a complex series of biochemical and molecular mechanisms, such as an inflammatory response, an exacerbated production of misfolded and oxidized proteins, due to oxidative stress, and the breakdown of cellular integrity mainly mediated by excitotoxic glutamatergic signaling. Brain ischemia also damages protein degradation pathways which, together with the overproduction of damaged proteins and consequent upregulation of ubiquitin-conjugated proteins, contribute to the accumulation of ubiquitin-containing proteinaceous deposits. Despite recent advances, the factors leading to deposition of such aggregates after cerebral ischemic injury remain poorly understood. This review discusses the current knowledge on the role of the UPS in brain function and the molecular mechanisms contributing to UPS dysfunction in brain ischemia with consequent accumulation of ubiquitin-containing proteins. Chemical inhibitors of the proteasome and small molecule inhibitors of deubiquitinating enzymes, which promote the degradation of proteins by the proteasome, were both shown to provide neuroprotection in brain ischemia, and this apparent contradiction is also discussed in this review. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Proinflammatory cytokines downregulate connexin 43-gap junctions via the ubiquitin-proteasome system in rat spinal astrocytes.

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    Zhang, Fang Fang; Morioka, Norimitsu; Kitamura, Tomoya; Hisaoka-Nakashima, Kazue; Nakata, Yoshihiro

    2015-09-04

    Astrocytic gap junctions formed by connexin 43 (Cx43) are crucial for intercellular communication between spinal cord astrocytes. Various neurological disorders are associated with dysfunctional Cx43-gap junctions. However, the mechanism modulating Cx43-gap junctions in spinal astrocytes under pathological conditions is not entirely clear. A previous study showed that treatment of spinal astrocytes in culture with pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) decreased both Cx43 expression and gap junction intercellular communication (GJIC) via a c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)-dependent pathway. The current study further elaborates the intracellular mechanism that decreases Cx43 under an inflammatory condition. Cycloheximide chase analysis revealed that TNF-α (10 ng/ml) alone or in combination with IFN-γ (5 ng/ml) accelerated the degradation of Cx43 protein in cultured spinal astrocytes. The reduction of both Cx43 expression and GJIC induced by a mixture of TNF-α and IFN-γ were blocked by pretreatment with proteasome inhibitors MG132 (0.5 μM) and epoxomicin (25 nM), a mixture of TNF-α and IFN-γ significantly increased proteasome activity and Cx43 ubiquitination. In addition, TNF-α and IFN-γ-induced activation of ubiquitin-proteasome systems was prevented by SP600125, a JNK inhibitor. Together, these results indicate that a JNK-dependent ubiquitin-proteasome system is induced under an inflammatory condition that disrupts astrocytic gap junction expression and function, leading to astrocytic dysfunction and the maintenance of the neuroinflammatory state. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. BAG3 induces the sequestration of proteasomal clients into cytoplasmic puncta: implications for a proteasome-to-autophagy switch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minoia, Melania; Boncoraglio, Alessandra; Vinet, Jonathan; Morelli, Federica F; Brunsting, Jeanette F; Poletti, Angelo; Krom, Sabine; Reits, Eric; Kampinga, Harm H; Carra, Serena

    2014-09-01

    Eukaryotic cells use autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system as their major protein degradation pathways. Upon proteasomal impairment, cells switch to autophagy to ensure proper clearance of clients (the proteasome-to-autophagy switch). The HSPA8 and HSPA1A cochaperone BAG3 has been suggested to be involved in this switch. However, at present it is still unknown whether and to what extent BAG3 can indeed reroute proteasomal clients to the autophagosomal pathway. Here, we show that BAG3 induces the sequestration of ubiquitinated clients into cytoplasmic puncta colabeled with canonical autophagy linkers and markers. Following proteasome inhibition, BAG3 upregulation significantly contributes to the compensatory activation of autophagy and to the degradation of the (poly)ubiquitinated proteins. BAG3 binding to the ubiquitinated clients occurs through the BAG domain, in competition with BAG1, another BAG family member, that normally directs ubiquitinated clients to the proteasome. Therefore, we propose that following proteasome impairment, increasing the BAG3/BAG1 ratio ensures the "BAG-instructed proteasomal to autophagosomal switch and sorting" (BIPASS).

  10. Proteomic analysis of MG132-treated germinating pollen reveals expression signatures associated with proteasome inhibition.

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    Candida Vannini

    Full Text Available Chemical inhibition of the proteasome has been previously found to effectively impair pollen germination and tube growth in vitro. However, the mediators of these effects at the molecular level are unknown. By performing 2DE proteomic analysis, 24 differentially expressed protein spots, representing 14 unique candidate proteins, were identified in the pollen of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa germinated in the presence of the MG132 proteasome inhibitor. qPCR analysis revealed that 11 of these proteins are not up-regulated at the mRNA level, but are most likely stabilized by proteasome inhibition. These differentially expressed proteins are predicted to function in various pathways including energy and lipid metabolism, cell wall synthesis, protein synthesis/degradation and stress responses. In line with this evidence, the MG132-induced changes in the proteome were accompanied by an increase in ATP and ROS content and by an alteration in fatty acid composition.

  11. Mitochondrial Malfunctioning, Proteasome Arrest and Apoptosis in Cancer Cells by Focused Intracellular Generation of Oxygen Radicals

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    Ilaria Postiglione

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Photofrin/photodynamic therapy (PDT at sub-lethal doses induced a transient stall in proteasome activity in surviving A549 (p53+/+ and H1299 (p53−/− cells as indicated by the time-dependent decline/recovery of chymotrypsin-like activity. Indeed, within 3 h of incubation, Photofrin invaded the cytoplasm and localized preferentially within the mitochondria. Its light activation determined a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and a reversible arrest in proteasomal activity. A similar result is obtained by treating cells with Antimycin and Rotenone, indicating, as a common denominator of this effect, the ATP decrease. Both inhibitors, however, were more toxic to cells as the recovery of proteasomal activity was incomplete. We evaluated whether combining PDT (which is a treatment for killing tumor cells, per se, and inducing proteasome arrest in the surviving ones with Bortezomib doses capable of sustaining the stall would protract the arrest with sufficient time to induce apoptosis in remaining cells. The evaluation of the mitochondrial membrane depolarization, residual proteasome and mitochondrial enzymatic activities, colony-forming capabilities, and changes in protein expression profiles in A549 and H1299 cells under a combined therapeutic regimen gave results consistent with our hypothesis.

  12. Syringolin A selectively labels the 20 S proteasome in murine EL4 and wild-type and bortezomib-adapted leukaemic cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clerc, Jérôme; Florea, Bogdan I; Kraus, Marianne; Groll, Michael; Huber, Robert; Bachmann, André S; Dudler, Robert; Driessen, Christoph; Overkleeft, Herman S; Kaiser, Markus

    2009-11-02

    The natural product syringolin A (SylA) is a potent proteasome inhibitor with promising anticancer activities. To further investigate its potential as a lead structure, selectivity profiling with cell lysates was performed. At therapeutic concentrations, a rhodamine-tagged SylA derivative selectively bound to the 20 S proteasome active sites without detectable off-target labelling. Additional profiling with lysates of wild-type and bortezomib-adapted leukaemic cell lines demonstrated the retention of this proteasome target and subsite selectivity as well as potency even in clinically relevant cell lines. Our studies, therefore, propose that further development of SylA might indeed result in an improved small molecule for the treatment of leukaemia.

  13. Protection against murine osteoarthritis by inhibition of the 26S proteasome and lysine-48 linked ubiquitination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Radwan, Marta; Wilkinson, David J; Hui, Wang; Destrument, Auriane P M; Charlton, Sarah H; Barter, Matt J; Gibson, Beth; Coulombe, Josée; Gray, Douglas A; Rowan, Andrew D; Young, David A

    2015-08-01

    To determine whether the process of ubiquitination and/or activity of the 26S proteasome are involved in the induction of osteoarthritis (OA). Bovine cartilage resorption assays, chondrocyte cell-line SW1353 and primary human articular chondrocytes were used with the general proteasome inhibitor MG132 or vehicle to identify a role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in cartilage destruction and matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP13) expression. In vivo, MG132 or vehicle, were delivered subcutaneously to mice following destabilisation of the medial meniscus (DMM)-induced OA. Subsequently, DMM was induced in Lys-to-Arg (K48R and K63R) mutant ubiquitin (Ub) transgenic mice. Cytokine signalling in SW1353s was monitored by immunoblotting and novel ubiquitinated substrates identified using Tandem Ubiquitin Binding Entities purification followed by mass spectrometry. The ubiquitination of TRAFD1 was assessed via immunoprecipitation and immunoblotting and its role in cytokine signal-transduction determined using RNA interference and real-time RT-PCR for MMP13 and interleukin-6 (IL6). Supplementation with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 protected cartilage from cytokine-mediated resorption and degradation in vivo in mice following DMM-induced OA. Using transgenic animals only K48R-mutated Ub partially protected against OA compared to wild-type or wild-type Ub transgenic mice, and this was only evident on the medial femoral condyle. After confirming ubiquitination was vital for NF-κB signalling and MMP13 expression, a screen for novel ubiquitinated substrates involved in cytokine-signalling identified TRAFD1; the depletion of which reduced inflammatory mediator-induced MMP13 and IL6 expression. Our data for the first time identifies a role for ubiquitination and the proteasome in the induction of OA via regulation of inflammatory mediator-induced MMP13 expression. These data open avenues of research to determine whether the proteasome, or K48-linked ubiquitination, are

  14. Regulation of SUMO2 Target Proteins by the Proteasome in Human Cells Exposed to Replication Stress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bursomanno, Sara; McGouran, Joanna F; Kessler, Benedikt M

    2015-01-01

    In human cells, SUMO2 is predominantly conjugated to target proteins in response to cellular stress. Previous studies suggested that proteins conjugated to SUMO2, but not to SUMO1, could be regulated by the ubiquitin-mediated proteasome system. Hence, we set out to understand the role...... of the proteasome in determining the fate of proteins conjugated to SUMO2 when cells are treated with DNA replication stress conditions. We conducted a quantitative proteomic analysis in a U2OS cell line stably expressing SUMO2(Q87R) tagged with StrepHA in the presence or absence of epoxomicin (EPOX), a proteasome...... inhibitor. We identified subgroups of putative SUMO2 targets that were either degraded or stabilized by EPOX upon SUMO2 conjugation in response to replication stress. Interestingly, the subgroup of proteins degraded upon SUMO2 conjugation was enriched in proteins playing roles in DNA damage repair...

  15. Structural characterization of the bacterial proteasome homolog BPH reveals a tetradecameric double-ring complex with unique inner cavity properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchs, Adrian C D; Maldoner, Lorena; Hipp, Katharina; Hartmann, Marcus D; Martin, Jörg

    2018-01-19

    Eukaryotic and archaeal proteasomes are paradigms for self-compartmentalizing proteases. To a large extent, their function requires interplay with hexameric ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA+) that act as substrate unfoldases. Bacteria have various types of self-compartmentalizing proteases; in addition to the proteasome itself, these include the proteasome homolog HslV, which functions together with the AAA+ HslU; the ClpP protease with its partner AAA+ ClpX; and Anbu, a recently characterized ancestral proteasome variant. Previous bioinformatic analysis has revealed a novel bacterial member of the proteasome family Betaproteobacteria proteasome homolog (BPH). Using cluster analysis, we here affirmed that BPH evolutionarily descends from HslV. Crystal structures of the Thiobacillus denitrificans and Cupriavidus metallidurans BPHs disclosed a homo-oligomeric double-ring architecture in which the active sites face the interior of the cylinder. Using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and electron microscopy averaging, we found that BPH forms tetradecamers in solution, unlike the dodecamers seen in HslV. Although the highly acidic inner surface of BPH was in striking contrast to the cavity characteristics of the proteasome and HslV, a classical proteasomal reaction mechanism could be inferred from the covalent binding of the proteasome-specific inhibitor epoxomicin to BPH. A ligand-bound structure implied that the elongated BPH inner pore loop may be involved in substrate recognition. The apparent lack of a partner unfoldase and other unique features, such as Ser replacing Thr as the catalytic residue in certain BPH subfamilies, suggest a proteolytic function for BPH distinct from those of known bacterial self-compartmentalizing proteases. © 2018 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  16. Implication of altered ubiquitin-proteasome system and ER stress in the muscle atrophy of diabetic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, S Sreenivasa; Shruthi, Karnam; Prabhakar, Y Konda; Sailaja, Gummadi; Reddy, G Bhanuprakash

    2018-02-01

    Skeletal muscle is adversely affected in type-1 diabetes, and excessively stimulated ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) was found to be a leading cause of muscle wasting or atrophy. The role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in muscle atrophy of type-1 diabetes is not known. Hence, we investigated the role of UPS and ER stress in the muscle atrophy of chronic diabetes rat model. Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (STZ) in male Sprague-Dawley rats and were sacrificed 2- and 4-months thereafter to collect gastrocnemius muscle. In another experiment, 2-months post-STZ-injection diabetic rats were treated with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, for the next 2-months and gastrocnemius muscle was collected. The muscle fiber cross-sectional area was diminished in diabetic rats. The expression of UPS components: E1, MURF1, TRIM72, UCHL1, UCHL5, ubiquitinated proteins, and proteasome activity were elevated in the diabetic rats indicating activated UPS. Altered expression of ER-associated degradation (ERAD) components and increased ER stress markers were detected in 4-months diabetic rats. Proteasome inhibition by MG132 alleviated alterations in the UPS and ER stress in diabetic rat muscle. Increased UPS activity and ER stress were implicated in the muscle atrophy of diabetic rats and proteasome inhibition exhibited beneficiary outcome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Structural Basis for the Species-Selective Binding of N,C-Capped Dipeptides to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Proteasome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hsu, Hao-Chi [Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503, United States; Singh, Pradeep K.; Fan, Hao; Wang, Rong [NMR; Sukenick, George [NMR; Nathan, Carl; Lin, Gang; Li, Huilin [Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503, United States

    2016-12-27

    The Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) 20S proteasome is vital for the pathogen to survive under nitrosative stress in vitro and to persist in mice. To qualify for drug development, inhibitors targeting Mtb 20S must spare both the human constitutive proteasome (c-20S) and immunoproteasome (i-20S). We recently reported members of a family of noncovalently binding dipeptide proteasome inhibitors that are highly potent and selective for Mtb 20S over human c-20S and i-20S. To understand the structural basis of their potency and selectivity, we have studied the structure–activity relationship of six derivatives and solved their cocrystal structures with Mtb 20S. The dipeptide inhibitors form an antiparallel β-strand with the active site β-strands. Selectivity is conferred by several features of Mtb 20S relative to its mouse counterparts, including a larger S1 pocket, additional hydrogen bonds in the S3 pocket, and hydrophobic interactions in the S4 pocket. Serine-20 and glutamine-22 of Mtb 20S interact with the dipeptides and confer Mtb-specific inhibition over c-20S and i-20S. The Mtb 20S and mammalian i-20S have a serine-27 that interacts strongly with the dipeptides, potentially explaining the higher inhibitory activity of the dipeptides toward i-20S over c-20S. This detailed structural knowledge will aid in optimizing the dipeptides as anti-tuberculosis drugs.

  18. BAG3 induces the sequestration of proteasomal clients into cytoplasmic puncta : Implications for a proteasome-to-autophagy switch

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Minoia, Melania; Boncoraglio, Alessandra; Vinet, Jonathan; Morelli, Federica F.; Brunsting, Jeanette F.; Poletti, Angelo; Krom, Sabine; Reits, Eric; Kampinga, Harm H.; Carra, Serena

    Eukaryotic cells use autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system as their major protein degradation pathways. Upon proteasomal impairment, cells switch to autophagy to ensure proper clearance of clients (the proteasome-to-autophagy switch). The HSPA8 and HSPA1A cochaperone BAG3 has been suggested

  19. BAG3 induces the sequestration of proteasomal clients into cytoplasmic puncta: implications for a proteasome-to-autophagy switch

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Minoia, Melania; Boncoraglio, Alessandra; Vinet, Jonathan; Morelli, Federica F.; Brunsting, Jeanette F.; Poletti, Angelo; Krom, Sabine; Reits, Eric; Kampinga, Harm H.; Carra, Serena

    2014-01-01

    Eukaryotic cells use autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome system as their major protein degradation pathways. Upon proteasomal impairment, cells switch to autophagy to ensure proper clearance of clients (the proteasome-to-autophagy switch). The HSPA8 and HSPA1A cochaperone BAG3 has been suggested

  20. Features of proteasome functioning in malignant tumors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kondakova, I. V.; Spirina, L. V.; Shashova, E. E.; Kolegova, E. S.; Slonimskaya, E. M.; Kolomiets, L. A.; Afanas'ev, S. G.; Choinzonov, Y. L.

    2017-09-01

    Proteasome ubiquitin system is the important system of intracellular proteolysis. The activity of the proteasomes may undergo changes during cancer development. We studied the chymotrypsin-like activity of proteasomes, their subunit composition, and their association with tumor stage in breast cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, endometrial cancer, renal cancer, bladder cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, and colorectal cancer. The increase in chymotrypsin-like activity of proteasomes and decrease in total proteasome pool compared with adjacent tissues were shown in all malignant tumors excluding kidney cancer. The increase in chymotrypsin-like activity of proteasomes was found in primary tumors with all types of metastasis: lymphogenous of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, intraperitoneal metastasis of ovarian cancer, hematogenous metastasis colorectal cancer. The exception was kidney cancer, in which there was a decrease in chymotrypsin-like activity with distant metastasis.

  1. MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, induces human pulmonary fibroblast cell death via increasing ROS levels and GSH depletion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Woo Hyun; Kim, Suhn Hee

    2012-04-01

    MG132 as a proteasome inhibitor can induce apoptotic cell death in lung cancer cells. However, little is known about the toxicological cellular effects of MG132 on normal primary lung cells. Here, we investigated the effects of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and vitamin C (well known antioxidants) or L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO; an inhibitor of GSH synthesis) on MG132-treated human pulmonary fibroblast (HPF) cells in relation to cell death, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione (GSH). MG132 induced growth inhibition and death in HPF cells, accompanied by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP; ∆ψm). MG132 increased ROS levels and GSH-depleted cell numbers in HPF cells. Both antioxidants, NAC and vitamin C, prevented growth inhibition, death and MMP (∆ψm) loss in MG132-treated HPF cells and also attenuated ROS levels in these cells. BSO showed a strong increase in ROS levels in MG132-treated HPF cells and slightly enhanced the growth inhibition, cell death, MMP (∆ψm) loss and GSH depletion. In addition, NAC decreased anonymous ubiquitinated protein levels in MG132-treated HPF cells. Furthermore, superoxide dismutase (SOD) 2, catalase (CTX) and GSH peroxidase (GPX) siRNAs enhanced HPF cell death by MG132, which was not correlated with ROS and GSH level changes. In conclusion, MG132 induced the growth inhibition and death of HPF cells, which were accompanied by increasing ROS levels and GSH depletion. Both NAC and vitamin C attenuated HPF cell death by MG132, whereas BSO slightly enhanced the death.

  2. Proteasome phosphorylation regulates cocaine-induced sensitization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzales, Frankie R; Howell, Kristin K; Dozier, Lara E; Anagnostaras, Stephan G; Patrick, Gentry N

    2018-04-01

    Repeated exposure to cocaine produces structural and functional modifications at synapses from neurons in several brain regions including the nucleus accumbens. These changes are thought to underlie cocaine-induced sensitization. The ubiquitin proteasome system plays a crucial role in the remodeling of synapses and has recently been implicated in addiction-related behavior. The ATPase Rpt6 subunit of the 26S proteasome is phosphorylated by Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinases II alpha at ser120 which is thought to regulate proteasome activity and distribution in neurons. Here, we demonstrate that Rpt6 phosphorylation is involved in cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization. Cocaine concomitantly increases proteasome activity and Rpt6 S120 phosphorylation in cultured neurons and in various brain regions of wild type mice including the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. In contrast, cocaine does not increase proteasome activity in Rpt6 phospho-mimetic (ser120Asp) mice. Strikingly, we found a complete absence of cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization in the Rpt6 ser120Asp mice. Together, these findings suggest a critical role for Rpt6 phosphorylation and proteasome function in the regulation cocaine-induced behavioral plasticity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Two waves of proteasome-dependent protein degradation in the hippocampus are required for recognition memory consolidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Figueiredo, Luciana S; Dornelles, Arethuza S; Petry, Fernanda S; Falavigna, Lucio; Dargél, Vinicius A; Köbe, Luiza M; Aguzzoli, Cristiano; Roesler, Rafael; Schröder, Nadja

    2015-04-01

    Healthy neuronal function and synaptic modification require a concert of synthesis and degradation of proteins. Increasing evidence indicates that protein turnover mediated by proteasome activity is involved in long-term synaptic plasticity and memory. However, its role in different phases of memory remains debated, and previous studies have not examined the possible requirement of protein degradation in recognition memory. Here, we show that the proteasome inhibitor, lactacystin (LAC), infused into the CA1 area of the hippocampus at two specific time points during consolidation, impairs 24-retention of memory for object recognition in rats. Administration of LAC after retrieval did not affect retention. These findings provide the first evidence for a requirement of proteasome activity in recognition memory, indicate that protein degradation in the hippocampus is necessary during selective time windows of memory consolidation, and further our understanding of the role of protein turnover in memory formation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Mouse homologue of yeast Prp19 interacts with mouse SUG1, the regulatory subunit of 26S proteasome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sihn, Choong-Ryoul; Cho, Si Young; Lee, Jeong Ho; Lee, Tae Ryong; Kim, Sang Hoon

    2007-01-01

    Yeast Prp19 has been shown to involve in pre-mRNA splicing and DNA repair as well as being an ubiquitin ligase. Mammalian homologue of yeast Prp19 also plays on similar functional activities in cells. In the present study, we isolated mouse SUG1 (mSUG1) as binding partner of mouse Prp19 (mPrp19) by the yeast two-hybrid system. We confirmed the interaction of mPrp9 with mSUG1 by GST pull-down assay and co-immunoprecipitation assay. The N-terminus of mPrp19 including U-box domain was associated with the C-terminus of mSUG1. Although, mSUG1 is a regulatory subunit of 26S proteasome, mPrp19 was not degraded in the proteasome-dependent pathway. Interestingly, GFP-mPrp19 fusion protein was co-localized with mSUG1 protein in cytoplasm as the formation of the speckle-like structures in the presence of a proteasome inhibitor MG132. In addition, the activity of proteasome was increased in cells transfected with mPrp19. Taken together, these results suggest that mPrp19 involves the regulation of protein turnover and may transport its substrates to 26S proteasome through mSUG1 protein

  5. Profound activity of the anti-cancer drug bortezomib against Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes identifies the proteasome as a novel drug target for cestodes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Britta Stadelmann

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available A library of 426 FDA-approved drugs was screened for in vitro activity against E. multilocularis metacestodes employing the phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI assay. Initial screening at 20 µM revealed that 7 drugs induced considerable metacestode damage, and further dose-response studies revealed that bortezomib (BTZ, a proteasome inhibitor developed for the chemotherapy of myeloma, displayed high anti-metacestodal activity with an EC50 of 0.6 µM. BTZ treatment of E. multilocularis metacestodes led to an accumulation of ubiquinated proteins and unequivocally parasite death. In-gel zymography assays using E. multilocularis extracts demonstrated BTZ-mediated inhibition of protease activity in a band of approximately 23 kDa, the same size at which the proteasome subunit beta 5 of E. multilocularis could be detected by Western blot. Balb/c mice experimentally infected with E. multilocularis metacestodes were used to assess BTZ treatment, starting at 6 weeks post-infection by intraperitoneal injection of BTZ. This treatment led to reduced parasite weight, but to a degree that was not statistically significant, and it induced adverse effects such as diarrhea and neurological symptoms. In conclusion, the proteasome was identified as a drug target in E. multilocularis metacestodes that can be efficiently inhibited by BTZ in vitro. However, translation of these findings into in vivo efficacy requires further adjustments of treatment regimens using BTZ, or possibly other proteasome inhibitors.

  6. The anti-apoptotic activity of BAG3 is restricted by caspases and the proteasome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoria M Virador

    Full Text Available Caspase-mediated cleavage and proteasomal degradation of ubiquitinated proteins are two independent mechanisms for the regulation of protein stability and cellular function. We previously reported BAG3 overexpression protected ubiquitinated clients, such as AKT, from proteasomal degradation and conferred cytoprotection against heat shock. We hypothesized that the BAG3 protein is regulated by proteolysis.Staurosporine (STS was used as a tool to test for caspase involvement in BAG3 degradation. MDA435 and HeLa human cancer cell lines exposed to STS underwent apoptosis with a concomitant time and dose-dependent loss of BAG3, suggesting the survival role of BAG3 was subject to STS regulation. zVAD-fmk or caspase 3 and 9 inhibitors provided a strong but incomplete protection of both cells and BAG3 protein. Two putative caspase cleavage sites were tested: KEVD (BAG3(E345A/D347A within the proline-rich center of BAG3 (PXXP and the C-terminal LEAD site (BAG3(E516A/D518A. PXXP deletion mutant and BAG3(E345A/D347A, or BAG3(E516A/D518A respectively slowed or stalled STS-mediated BAG3 loss. BAG3, ubiquitinated under basal growth conditions, underwent augmented ubiquitination upon STS treatment, while there was no increase in ubiquitination of the BAG3(E516A/D518A caspase-resistant mutant. Caspase and proteasome inhibition resulted in partial and independent protection of BAG3 whereas inhibitors of both blocked BAG3 degradation. STS-induced apoptosis was increased when BAG3 was silenced, and retention of BAG3 was associated with cytoprotection.BAG3 is tightly controlled by selective degradation during STS exposure. Loss of BAG3 under STS injury required sequential caspase cleavage followed by polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. The need for dual regulation of BAG3 in apoptosis suggests a key role for BAG3 in cancer cell resistance to apoptosis.

  7. SOCS-1 Localizes to the Microtubule Organizing Complex-Associated 20S Proteasome

    OpenAIRE

    Vuong, Bao Q.; Arenzana, Teresita L.; Showalter, Brian M.; Losman, Julie; Chen, X. Peter; Mostecki, Justin; Banks, Alexander S.; Limnander, Andre; Fernandes, Neil; Rothman, Paul B.

    2005-01-01

    The regulation of cytokine signaling is critical for controlling cellular proliferation and activation during an immune response. SOCS-1 is a potent inhibitor of Jak kinase activity and of signaling initiated by several cytokines. SOCS-1 protein levels are tightly regulated, and recent data suggest that SOCS-1 may regulate the protein levels of some signaling proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome pathway; however, the cellular mechanism by which SOCS-1 directs proteins for degradation is unkno...

  8. A regulator of ubiquitin-proteasome activity, 2-hexyldecanol, suppresses melanin synthesis and the appearance of facial hyperpigmented spots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hakozaki, T; Laughlin, T; Zhao, S; Wang, J; Deng, D; Jewell-Motz, E; Elstun, L

    2013-07-01

    2-Hexyldecanol has long been used in skin-care products, but has not previously been reported as an active ingredient for skin benefits. To evaluate 2-hexyldecanol in in vitro and ex vivo systems and, if found to be active, progress it to topical clinical testing to determine effects on pigmentation in skin. 2-Hexyldecanol was tested in melanocyte cell culture systems (B16 mouse melanoma cells and normal human melanocytes) for its effect on proteolytic activity and melanin production, in the absence and presence of the proteasome-specific inhibitor, MG132. It was further tested in a human skin explant model for its effect on melanin production. Lastly, topically applied 2-hexyldecanol was evaluated for its effect on the appearance of facial pigmentation in an 8-week, randomized, double-blind, vehicle-controlled, split-face incomplete block design study in Chinese women. In submerged cell culture, 2-hexyldecanol upregulated proteolytic activity and decreased melanin synthesis. These effects were antagonized by the proteasome-specific inhibitor MG132. MG132, tested in the absence of 2-hexyldecanol, increased melanin production. In a human skin explant model, topical 2-hexyldecanol suppressed the production of melanin vs. a vehicle control. In a human clinical study in Chinese women (n = 110 observations per test material), a 2-hexyldecanol-containing formulation significantly reduced the appearance of facial hyperpigmented spots vs. its control. These data indicate that regulation of proteasome activity is a viable target for control of melanin production, that 2-hexyldecanol upregulates proteasomal activity in melanocytes, and that topical 2-hexyldecanol reduces the appearance of hyperpigmentation. © 2013 The Authors BJD © 2013 British Association of Dermatologists.

  9. Inhibition of the host proteasome facilitates papaya ringspot virus accumulation and proteosomal catalytic activity is modulated by viral factor HcPro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nandita Sahana

    Full Text Available The ubiquitin/26S proteasome system plays an essential role not only in maintaining protein turnover, but also in regulating many other plant responses, including plant-pathogen interactions. Previous studies highlighted different roles of the 20S proteasome in plant defense during virus infection, either indirectly through viral suppressor-mediated degradation of Argonaute proteins, affecting the RNA interference pathway, or directly through modulation of the proteolytic and RNase activity of the 20S proteasome, a component of the 20S proteasome, by viral proteins, affecting the levels of viral proteins and RNAs. Here we show that MG132, a cell permeable proteasomal inhibitor, caused an increase in papaya ringspot virus (PRSV accumulation in its natural host papaya (Carica papaya. We also show that the PRSV HcPro interacts with the papaya homologue of the Arabidopsis PAA (α1 subunit of the 20S proteasome, but not with the papaya homologue of Arabidopsis PAE (α5 subunit of the 20S proteasome, associated with the RNase activity, although the two 20S proteasome subunits interacted with each other. Mutated forms of PRSV HcPro showed that the conserved KITC54 motif in the N-terminal domain of HcPro was necessary for its binding to PAA. Co-agroinfiltration assays demonstrated that HcPro expression mimicked the action of MG132, and facilitated the accumulation of bothtotal ubiquitinated proteins and viral/non-viral exogenous RNA in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. These effects were not observed by using an HcPro mutant (KITS54, which impaired the HcPro - PAA interaction. Thus, the PRSV HcPro interacts with a proteasomal subunit, inhibiting the action of the 20S proteasome, suggesting that HcPro might be crucial for modulating its catalytic activities in support of virus accumulation.

  10. Azithromycin attenuates myofibroblast differentiation and lung fibrosis development through proteasomal degradation of NOX4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsubouchi, Kazuya; Araya, Jun; Minagawa, Shunsuke; Hara, Hiromichi; Ichikawa, Akihiro; Saito, Nayuta; Kadota, Tsukasa; Sato, Nahoko; Yoshida, Masahiro; Kurita, Yusuke; Kobayashi, Kenji; Ito, Saburo; Fujita, Yu; Utsumi, Hirofumi; Yanagisawa, Haruhiko; Hashimoto, Mitsuo; Wakui, Hiroshi; Yoshii, Yutaka; Ishikawa, Takeo; Numata, Takanori; Kaneko, Yumi; Asano, Hisatoshi; Yamashita, Makoto; Odaka, Makoto; Morikawa, Toshiaki; Nakayama, Katsutoshi; Nakanishi, Yoichi; Kuwano, Kazuyoshi

    2017-08-03

    Accumulation of profibrotic myofibroblasts is involved in the process of fibrosis development during idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) pathogenesis. TGFB (transforming growth factor β) is one of the major profibrotic cytokines for myofibroblast differentiation and NOX4 (NADPH oxidase 4) has an essential role in TGFB-mediated cell signaling. Azithromycin (AZM), a second-generation antibacterial macrolide, has a pleiotropic effect on cellular processes including proteostasis. Hence, we hypothesized that AZM may regulate NOX4 levels by modulating proteostasis machineries, resulting in inhibition of TGFB-associated lung fibrosis development. Human lung fibroblasts (LF) were used to evaluate TGFB-induced myofibroblast differentiation. With respect to NOX4 regulation via proteostasis, assays for macroautophagy/autophagy, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and proteasome activity were performed. The potential anti-fibrotic property of AZM was examined by using bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis mouse models. TGFB-induced NOX4 and myofibroblast differentiation were clearly inhibited by AZM treatment in LF. AZM-mediated NOX4 reduction was restored by treatment with MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. AZM inhibited autophagy and enhanced the UPR. Autophagy inhibition by AZM was linked to ubiquitination of NOX4 via increased protein levels of STUB1 (STIP1 homology and U-box containing protein 1), an E3 ubiquitin ligase. An increased UPR by AZM was associated with enhanced proteasome activity. AZM suppressed lung fibrosis development induced by BLM with concomitantly reduced NOX4 protein levels and enhanced proteasome activation. These results suggest that AZM suppresses NOX4 by promoting proteasomal degradation, resulting in inhibition of TGFB-induced myofibroblast differentiation and lung fibrosis development. AZM may be a candidate for the treatment of the fibrotic lung disease IPF.

  11. Impaired proteasome function in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabashi, Edor; Agar, Jeffrey N; Strong, Michael J; Durham, Heather D

    2012-06-01

    Abstract The ubiquitin-proteasome system, important for maintaining protein quality control, is compromised in experimental models of familial ALS. The objective of this study was to determine if proteasome function is impaired in sporadic ALS. Proteasomal activities and subunit composition were evaluated in homogenates of spinal cord samples obtained at autopsy from sporadic ALS and non-neurological control cases, compared to cerebellum as a clinically spared tissue. The level of 20S α structural proteasome subunits was assessed in motor neurons by immunohistochemistry. Catalysis of peptide substrates of the three major proteasomal activities was substantially reduced in ALS thoracic spinal cord, but not in cerebellum, accompanied by alterations in the constitutive proteasome machinery. Chymotrypsin-like activity was decreased to 60% and 65% of control in ventral and dorsal spinal cord, respectively, concomitant with reduction in the β5 subunit with this catalytic activity. Caspase- and trypsin-like activities were reduced to a similar extent (46% - 68% of control). Proteasome levels, although generally maintained, appeared reduced specifically in motor neurons by immunolabelling. In conclusion, there are commonalities of findings in sporadic ALS patients and presymptomatic SOD1-G93A transgenic mice and these implicate inadequate proteasome function in the pathogenesis of both familial and sporadic ALS.

  12. Proteasomal and lysosomal protein degradation and heart disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xuejun; Robbins, Jeffrey

    2014-06-01

    In the cell, the proteasome and lysosomes represent the most important proteolytic machineries, responsible for the protein degradation in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy, respectively. Both the UPS and autophagy are essential to protein quality and quantity control. Alterations in cardiac proteasomal and lysosomal degradation are remarkably associated with most heart disease in humans and are implicated in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure. Studies carried out in animal models and in cell culture have begun to establish both sufficiency and, in some cases, the necessity of proteasomal functional insufficiency or lysosomal insufficiency as a major pathogenic factor in the heart. This review article highlights some recent advances in the research into proteasome and lysosome protein degradation in relation to cardiac pathology and examines the emerging evidence for enhancing degradative capacities of the proteasome and/or lysosome as a new therapeutic strategy for heart disease. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Protein Quality Control, the Ubiquitin Proteasome System, and Autophagy". Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Inhibitors of Deubiquitinating Enzymes Block HIV-1 Replication and Augment the Presentation of Gag-Derived MHC-I Epitopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Setz, Christian; Friedrich, Melanie; Rauch, Pia; Fraedrich, Kirsten; Matthaei, Alina; Traxdorf, Maximilian; Schubert, Ulrich

    2017-08-12

    In recent years it has been well established that two major constituent parts of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS)-the proteasome holoenzymes and a number of ubiquitin ligases-play a crucial role, not only in virus replication but also in the regulation of the immunogenicity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). However, the role in HIV-1 replication of the third major component, the deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), has remained largely unknown. In this study, we show that the DUB-inhibitors (DIs) P22077 and PR-619, specific for the DUBs USP7 and USP47, impair Gag processing and thereby reduce the infectivity of released virions without affecting viral protease activity. Furthermore, the replication capacity of X4- and R5-tropic HIV-1 NL4-3 in human lymphatic tissue is decreased upon treatment with these inhibitors without affecting cell viability. Most strikingly, combinatory treatment with DIs and proteasome inhibitors synergistically blocks virus replication at concentrations where mono-treatment was ineffective, indicating that DIs can boost the therapeutic effect of proteasome inhibitors. In addition, P22077 and PR-619 increase the polyubiquitination of Gag and thus its entry into the UPS and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-I pathway. In summary, our data point towards a model in which specific inhibitors of DUBs not only interfere with virus spread but also increase the immune recognition of HIV-1 expressing cells.

  14. Cytoplasmic proteasomes are not indispensable for cell growth in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsuchiya, Hikaru; Arai, Naoko; Tanaka, Keiji, E-mail: tanaka-kj@igakuken.or.jp; Saeki, Yasushi, E-mail: saeki-ys@igakuken.or.jp

    2013-07-05

    Highlights: •We succeeded to control the proteasome localization by the anchor-away technique. •Nuclear proteasome-depleted cells showed a lethal phenotype. •Cytoplasmic proteasomes are not indispensable for cell growth in dividing cells. -- Abstract: The 26S proteasome is an essential protease complex responsible for the degradation of ubiquitinated proteins in eukaryotic cells. In rapidly proliferating yeast cells, proteasomes are mainly localized in the nucleus, but the biological significance of the proteasome localization is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the proteasome localization and the functions by the anchor-away technique, a ligand-dependent sequestration of a target protein into specific compartment(s). Anchoring of the proteasome to the plasma membrane or the ribosome resulted in conditional depletion of the nuclear proteasomes, whereas anchoring to histone resulted in the proteasome sequestration into the nucleus. We observed that the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in all the proteasome-targeted cells, suggesting that both the nuclear and cytoplasmic proteasomes have proteolytic functions and that the ubiquitinated proteins are produced and degraded in each compartment. Consistent with previous studies, the nuclear proteasome-depleted cells exhibited a lethal phenotype. In contrast, the nuclear sequestration of the proteasome resulted only in a mild growth defect, suggesting that the cytoplasmic proteasomes are not basically indispensable for cell growth in rapidly growing yeast cells.

  15. Structural Analysis of the Bacterial Proteasome Activator Bpa in Complex with the 20S Proteasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolten, Marcel; Delley, Cyrille L; Leibundgut, Marc; Boehringer, Daniel; Ban, Nenad; Weber-Ban, Eilika

    2016-12-06

    Mycobacterium tuberculosis harbors proteasomes that recruit substrates for degradation through an ubiquitin-like modification pathway. Recently, a non-ATPase activator termed Bpa (bacterial proteasome activator) was shown to support an alternate proteasomal degradation pathway. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of Bpa in complex with the 20S core particle (CP). For docking into the cryo-EM density, we solved the X-ray structure of Bpa, showing that it forms tight four-helix bundles arranged into a 12-membered ring with a 40 Å wide central pore and the C-terminal helix of each protomer protruding from the ring. The Bpa model was fitted into the cryo-EM map of the Bpa-CP complex, revealing its architecture and striking symmetry mismatch. The Bpa-CP interface was resolved to 3.5 Å, showing the interactions between the C-terminal GQYL motif of Bpa and the proteasome α-rings. This docking mode is related to the one observed for eukaryotic activators with features specific to the bacterial complex. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Proteasome subunit expression analysis and chemosensitivity in relapsed paediatric acute leukaemia patients receiving bortezomib-containing chemotherapy

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    Denise Niewerth

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Drug combinations of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib with cytotoxic chemotherapy are currently evaluated in phase 2 and 3 trials for the treatment of paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML and acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL. Methods We investigated whether expression ratios of immunoproteasome to constitutive proteasome in leukaemic cells correlated with response to bortezomib-containing re-induction chemotherapy in patients with relapsed and refractory acute leukaemia, enrolled in two Children’s Oncology Group phase 2 trials of bortezomib for ALL (COG-AALL07P1 and AML (COG-AAML07P1. Expression of proteasome subunits was examined in 72 patient samples (ALL n = 60, AML n = 12 obtained before start of therapy. Statistical significance between groups was determined by Mann-Whitney U test. Results Ratios of immunoproteasome to constitutive proteasome subunit expression were significantly higher in pre-B ALL cells than in AML cells for both β5i/β5 and β1i/β1 subunits (p = 0.004 and p < 0.001. These ratios correlated with therapy response in AML patients; β1i/β1 ratios were significantly higher (p = 0.028 between patients who did (n = 4 and did not reach complete remission (CR (n = 8, although for β5i/β5 ratios, this did not reach significance. For ALL patients, the subunit ratios were also higher for patients who showed a good early response to therapy but this relation was not statistically significant. Overall, for this study, the patients were treated with combination therapy, so response was not only attributed to proteasome inhibition. Moreover, the leukaemic blast cells were not purified for these samples. Conclusions These first ex vivo results encourage further studies into relative proteasome subunit expression to improve proteasome inhibition-containing therapy and as a potential indicator of bortezomib response in acute leukaemia.

  17. Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Induces HIV-1 Proteasomal Degradation in Mucosal Langerhans Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bomsel, Morgane; Ganor, Yonatan

    2017-12-01

    The neuroimmune dialogue between peripheral neurons and Langerhans cells (LCs) within mucosal epithelia protects against incoming pathogens. LCs rapidly internalize human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) upon its sexual transmission and then trans -infect CD4 + T cells. We recently found that the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), secreted mucosally from peripheral neurons, inhibits LC-mediated HIV-1 trans -infection. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of CGRP-induced inhibition, focusing on HIV-1 degradation in LCs and its interplay with trans -infection. We first show that HIV-1 degradation occurs in endolysosomes in untreated LCs, and functionally blocking such degradation with lysosomotropic agents results in increased trans -infection. We demonstrate that CGRP acts via its cognate receptor and at a viral postentry step to induce faster HIV-1 degradation, but without affecting the kinetics of endolysosomal degradation. We reveal that unexpectedly, CGRP shifts HIV-1 degradation from endolysosomes toward the proteasome, providing the first evidence for functional HIV-1 proteasomal degradation in LCs. Such efficient proteasomal degradation significantly inhibits the first phase of trans -infection, and proteasomal, but not endolysosomal, inhibitors abrogate CGRP-induced inhibition. Together, our results establish that CGRP controls the HIV-1 degradation mode in LCs. The presence of endogenous CGRP within innervated mucosal tissues, especially during the sexual response, to which CGRP contributes, suggests that HIV-1 proteasomal degradation predominates in vivo Hence, proteasomal, rather than endolysosomal, HIV-1 degradation in LCs should be enhanced clinically to effectively restrict HIV-1 trans -infection. IMPORTANCE During sexual transmission, HIV-1 is internalized and degraded in LCs, the resident antigen-presenting cells in mucosal epithelia. Yet during trans -infection, infectious virions escaping degradation are transferred

  18. Memory formation for trace fear conditioning requires ubiquitin-proteasome mediated protein degradation in the prefrontal cortex.

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    David S Reis

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The cellular mechanisms supporting plasticity during memory consolidation have been a subject of considerable interest. De novo protein and mRNA synthesis in several brain areas are critical, and more recently protein degradation, mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS, has been shown to be important. Previous work clearly establishes a relationship between protein synthesis and protein degradation in the amygdala, but it is unclear whether cortical mechanisms of memory consolidation are similar to those in the amygdala. Recent work demonstrating a critical role for prefrontal cortex (PFC in the acquisition and consolidation of fear memory allows us to address this question. Here we use a PFC-dependent fear conditioning protocol to determine whether UPS mediated protein degradation is necessary for memory consolidation in PFC. Groups of rats were trained with auditory delay or trace fear conditioning and sacrificed 60 min after training. PFC tissue was then analyzed to quantify the amount of polyubiquinated protein. Other animals were trained with similar procedures but were infused with either a proteasome inhibitor (clasto-lactacystin β-lactone or a translation inhibitor (anisomycin in the PFC immediately after training. Our results show increased UPS-mediated protein degradation in the PFC following trace but not delay fear conditioning. Additionally, post-training proteasome or translation inhibition significantly impaired trace but not delay fear memory when tested the next day. Our results further support the idea that the PFC is critical for trace but not delay fear conditioning highlight the role of UPS-mediated degradation as critical for synaptic plasticity.

  19. Dynamic recruitment of active proteasomes into polyglutamine initiated inclusion bodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schipper-Krom, Sabine; Juenemann, Katrin; Jansen, Anne H; Wiemhoefer, Anne; van den Nieuwendijk, Rianne; Smith, Donna L; Hink, Mark A; Bates, Gillian P; Overkleeft, Hermen; Ovaa, Huib; Reits, Eric

    2014-01-03

    Neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease are hallmarked by neuronal intracellular inclusion body formation. Whether proteasomes are irreversibly recruited into inclusion bodies in these protein misfolding disorders is a controversial subject. In addition, it has been proposed that the proteasomes may become clogged by the aggregated protein fragments, leading to impairment of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Here, we show by fluorescence pulse-chase experiments in living cells that proteasomes are dynamically and reversibly recruited into inclusion bodies. As these recruited proteasomes remain catalytically active and accessible to substrates, our results challenge the concept of proteasome sequestration and impairment in Huntington's disease, and support the reported absence of proteasome impairment in mouse models of Huntington's disease. Copyright © 2013 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. All rights reserved.

  20. Inhibition of the 26S proteasome blocks progesterone receptor-dependent transcription through failed recruitment of RNA polymerase II.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dennis, Andrew P; Lonard, David M; Nawaz, Zafar; O'Malley, Bert W

    2005-03-01

    In the present study, we investigated the involvement of protein degradation via the 26S proteasome during progesterone receptor (PR)-mediated transcription in T-47D cells containing a stably integrated MMTV-CAT reporter construct (CAT0 cells). Progesterone induced CAT and HSD11beta2 transcription while co-treatment with the proteasome inhibitor, MG132, blocked PR-induced transcription in a time-dependent fashion. MG132 treatment also inhibited transcription of beta-actin and cyclophilin, but not two proteasome subunit genes, PSMA1 and PSMC1, indicating that proteasome inhibition affects a subset of RNA polymerase II (RNAP(II))-regulated genes. Progesterone-mediated recruitment of RNAP(II) was blocked by MG132 treatment at time points later than 1 h that was not dependent on the continued presence of PR, associated cofactors, and components of the general transcription machinery, supporting the concept that proteasome-mediated degradation is needed for continued transcription. Surprisingly, progesterone-mediated acetylation of histone H4 was inhibited by MG132 with the concomitant recruitment of HDAC3, NCoR, and SMRT. We demonstrate that the steady-state protein levels of SMRT and NCoR are higher in the presence of MG132 in CAT0 cells, consistent with other reports that SMRT and NCoR are targets of the 26S proteasome. However, inhibition of histone deacetylation by trichostatin A (TSA) treatment or SMRT/NCoR knockdown by siRNA did not restore MG132-inhibited progesterone-dependent transcription. Therefore, events other than histone deacetylation and stability of SMRT and NCoR must also play a role in inhibition of PR-mediated transcription.

  1. Proteasomes in the archaea: from structure to function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maupin-Furlow, J A; Wilson, H L; Kaczowka, S J; Ou, M S

    2000-09-01

    Survival of cells is critically dependent on their ability to rapidly adapt to changes in the natural environment no matter how 'extreme'the habitat. An interplay between protein folding and hydrolysis is emerging as a central mechanism for stress survival and proper cell function. In eucaryotic cells, most proteins destined for destruction are covalently modified by the ubiquitin-system and then degraded in an energy-dependent mechanism by the 26S proteasome, a multicatalytic protease. The 26S proteasome is composed of a 20S proteolytic core and 19S cap (PA700) regulator which includes six AAA+ ATPase subunits. Related AAA+ proteins and 20S proteasomes are found in the archaea and Gram positive actinomycetes. In general, 20S proteasomes form a barrel-shaped nanocompartment with narrow openings which isolate rather non-specific proteolytic active-sites to the interior of the cylinder and away from interaction with cytosolic proteins. The proteasome-associated AAA+ proteins are predicted to form ring-like structures which unfold substrate proteins for entry into the central proteolytic 20S chamber resulting in an energy-dependent and processive destruction of the protein. Detailed biochemical and biophysical analysis as well as identification of proteasomes in archaea with developed genetic tools are providing a foundation for understanding the biological role of the proteasome in these unusual organisms.

  2. Changes in proteasome structure and function caused by HAMLET in tumor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gustafsson, Lotta; Aits, Sonja; Onnerfjord, Patrik; Trulsson, Maria; Storm, Petter; Svanborg, Catharina

    2009-01-01

    Proteasomes control the level of endogenous unfolded proteins by degrading them in the proteolytic core. Insufficient degradation due to altered protein structure or proteasome inhibition may trigger cell death. This study examined the proteasome response to HAMLET, a partially unfolded protein-lipid complex, which is internalized by tumor cells and triggers cell death. HAMLET bound directly to isolated 20S proteasomes in vitro and in tumor cells significant co-localization of HAMLET and 20S proteasomes was detected by confocal microscopy. This interaction was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation from extracts of HAMLET-treated tumor cells. HAMLET resisted in vitro degradation by proteasomal enzymes and degradation by intact 20S proteasomes was slow compared to fatty acid-free, partially unfolded alpha-lactalbumin. After a brief activation, HAMLET inhibited proteasome activity in vitro and in parallel a change in proteasome structure occurred, with modifications of catalytic (beta1 and beta5) and structural subunits (alpha2, alpha3, alpha6 and beta3). Proteasome inhibition was confirmed in extracts from HAMLET-treated cells and there were indications of proteasome fragmentation in HAMLET-treated cells. The results suggest that internalized HAMLET is targeted to 20S proteasomes, that the complex resists degradation, inhibits proteasome activity and perturbs proteasome structure. We speculate that perturbations of proteasome structure might contribute to the cytotoxic effects of unfolded protein complexes that invade host cells.

  3. Impaired methylation as a novel mechanism for proteasome suppression in liver cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Osna, Natalia A., E-mail: nosna@UNMC.edu [Liver Study Unit, The Omaha Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105 (United States); Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105 (United States); White, Ronda L.; Donohue, Terrence M. [Liver Study Unit, The Omaha Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105 (United States); Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105 (United States); Beard, Michael R. [Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Adelaide (Australia); Tuma, Dean J.; Kharbanda, Kusum K. [Liver Study Unit, The Omaha Veterans Affairs VA Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105 (United States); Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68105 (United States)

    2010-01-08

    The proteasome is a multi-catalytic protein degradation enzyme that is regulated by ethanol-induced oxidative stress; such suppression is attributed to CYP2E1-generated metabolites. However, under certain conditions, it appears that in addition to oxidative stress, other mechanisms are also involved in proteasome regulation. This study investigated whether impaired protein methylation that occurs during exposure of liver cells to ethanol, may contribute to suppression of proteasome activity. We measured the chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity in Huh7CYP cells, hepatocytes, liver cytosols and nuclear extracts or purified 20S proteasome under conditions that maintain or prevent protein methylation. Reduction of proteasome activity of hepatoma cell and hepatocytes by ethanol or tubercidin was prevented by simultaneous treatment with S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). Moreover, the tubercidin-induced decline in proteasome activity occurred in both nuclear and cytosolic fractions. In vitro exposure of cell cytosolic fractions or highly purified 20S proteasome to low SAM:S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) ratios in the buffer also suppressed proteasome function, indicating that one or more methyltransferase(s) may be associated with proteasomal subunits. Immunoblotting a purified 20S rabbit red cell proteasome preparation using methyl lysine-specific antibodies revealed a 25 kDa proteasome subunit that showed positive reactivity with anti-methyl lysine. This reactivity was modified when 20S proteasome was exposed to differential SAM:SAH ratios. We conclude that impaired methylation of proteasome subunits suppressed proteasome activity in liver cells indicating an additional, yet novel mechanism of proteasome activity regulation by ethanol.

  4. Isoform-specific proteasomal degradation of Rbfox3 during chicken embryonic development

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Kee K.; Adelstein, Robert S.; Kawamoto, Sachiyo, E-mail: kawamots@mail.nih.gov

    2014-08-08

    Highlights: • Protein stability of Rbfox3 splice isoforms is differentially regulated. • Rbfox3-d31, an Rbfox3 isoform lacking the RRM, is highly susceptible to degradation. • The protein stability of Rbfox3-d31 is regulated by the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. • Rbfox3-d31 inhibits the nuclear localization of Rbfox2. • Rbfox3-d31 inhibits the splicing activity of Rbfox2. - Abstract: Rbfox3, a neuron-specific RNA-binding protein, plays an important role in neuronal differentiation during development. An isoform Rbfox3-d31, which excludes the 93-nucleotide cassette exon within the RNA recognition motif of chicken Rbfox3, has been previously identified. However, the cellular functions of Rbfox3-d31 remain largely unknown. Here we find that Rbfox3-d31 mRNA is highly expressed during the early developmental stages of the chicken embryo, while Rbfox3-d31 protein is barely detected during the same stage due to its rapid degradation mediated by the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Importantly, this degradation is specific to the Rbfox3-d31 isoform and it does not occur with full-length Rbfox3. Furthermore, suppression of Rbfox3-d31 protein degradation with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 attenuates the splicing activity of another Rbfox family member Rbfox2 by altering the subcellular localization of Rbfox2. These results suggest that Rbfox3-d31 functions as a repressor for the splicing activity of the Rbfox family and its protein level is regulated in an isoform-specific manner in vivo.

  5. Regulating the 20S Proteasome Ubiquitin-Independent Degradation Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gili Ben-Nissan

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available For many years, the ubiquitin-26S proteasome degradation pathway was considered the primary route for proteasomal degradation. However, it is now becoming clear that proteins can also be targeted for degradation by the core 20S proteasome itself. Degradation by the 20S proteasome does not require ubiquitin tagging or the presence of the 19S regulatory particle; rather, it relies on the inherent structural disorder of the protein being degraded. Thus, proteins that contain unstructured regions due to oxidation, mutation, or aging, as well as naturally, intrinsically unfolded proteins, are susceptible to 20S degradation. Unlike the extensive knowledge acquired over the years concerning degradation by the 26S proteasome, relatively little is known about the means by which 20S-mediated proteolysis is controlled. Here, we describe our current understanding of the regulatory mechanisms that coordinate 20S proteasome-mediated degradation, and highlight the gaps in knowledge that remain to be bridged.

  6. Hypoxia and hypoxia mimetics decrease aquaporin 5 (AQP5 expression through both hypoxia inducible factor-1α and proteasome-mediated pathways.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jitesh D Kawedia

    Full Text Available The alveolar epithelium plays a central role in gas exchange and fluid transport, and is therefore critical for normal lung function. Since the bulk of water flux across this epithelium depends on the membrane water channel Aquaporin 5 (AQP5, we asked whether hypoxia had any effect on AQP5 expression. We show that hypoxia causes a significant (70% decrease in AQP5 expression in the lungs of mice exposed to hypoxia. Hypoxia and the hypoxia mimetic, cobalt, also caused similar decreases in AQP5 mRNA and protein expression in the mouse lung epithelial cell line MLE-12. The action of hypoxia and cobalt on AQP5 transcription was demonstrated by directly quantifying heternonuclear RNA by real-time PCR. Dominant negative mutants of Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF-1α and HIF-1α siRNA blocked the action of cobalt, showing that HIF-1α is a key component in this mechanism. The proteasome inhibitors, lactacystin or proteasome inhibitor-III completely abolished the effect of hypoxia and cobalt both at the protein and mRNA level indicating that the proteasome pathway is probably involved not only for the stability of HIF-1α protein, but for the stability of unidentified transcription factors that regulate AQP5 transcription. These studies reveal a potentially important physiological mechanism linking hypoxic stress and membrane water channels.

  7. Hypoxia and Hypoxia Mimetics Decrease Aquaporin 5 (AQP5) Expression through Both Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α and Proteasome-Mediated Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawedia, Jitesh D.; Yang, Fan; Sartor, Maureen A.; Gozal, David; Czyzyk-Krzeska, Maria; Menon, Anil G.

    2013-01-01

    The alveolar epithelium plays a central role in gas exchange and fluid transport, and is therefore critical for normal lung function. Since the bulk of water flux across this epithelium depends on the membrane water channel Aquaporin 5 (AQP5), we asked whether hypoxia had any effect on AQP5 expression. We show that hypoxia causes a significant (70%) decrease in AQP5 expression in the lungs of mice exposed to hypoxia. Hypoxia and the hypoxia mimetic, cobalt, also caused similar decreases in AQP5 mRNA and protein expression in the mouse lung epithelial cell line MLE-12. The action of hypoxia and cobalt on AQP5 transcription was demonstrated by directly quantifying heternonuclear RNA by real-time PCR. Dominant negative mutants of Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF-1α) and HIF-1α siRNA blocked the action of cobalt, showing that HIF-1α is a key component in this mechanism. The proteasome inhibitors, lactacystin or proteasome inhibitor-III completely abolished the effect of hypoxia and cobalt both at the protein and mRNA level indicating that the proteasome pathway is probably involved not only for the stability of HIF-1α protein, but for the stability of unidentified transcription factors that regulate AQP5 transcription. These studies reveal a potentially important physiological mechanism linking hypoxic stress and membrane water channels. PMID:23469202

  8. Wolfram syndrome 1 gene negatively regulates ER stress signaling in rodent and human cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fonseca, Sonya G; Ishigaki, Shinsuke; Oslowski, Christine M; Lu, Simin; Lipson, Kathryn L; Ghosh, Rajarshi; Hayashi, Emiko; Ishihara, Hisamitsu; Oka, Yoshitomo; Permutt, M Alan; Urano, Fumihiko

    2010-03-01

    Wolfram syndrome is an autosomal-recessive disorder characterized by insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, caused by nonautoimmune loss of beta cells, and neurological dysfunctions. We have previously shown that mutations in the Wolfram syndrome 1 (WFS1) gene cause Wolfram syndrome and that WFS1 has a protective function against ER stress. However, it remained to be determined how WFS1 mitigates ER stress. Here we have shown in rodent and human cell lines that WFS1 negatively regulates a key transcription factor involved in ER stress signaling, activating transcription factor 6alpha (ATF6alpha), through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. WFS1 suppressed expression of ATF6alpha target genes and repressed ATF6alpha-mediated activation of the ER stress response element (ERSE) promoter. Moreover, WFS1 stabilized the E3 ubiquitin ligase HRD1, brought ATF6alpha to the proteasome, and enhanced its ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation, leading to suppression of ER stress signaling. Consistent with these data, beta cells from WFS1-deficient mice and lymphocytes from patients with Wolfram syndrome exhibited dysregulated ER stress signaling through upregulation of ATF6alpha and downregulation of HRD1. These results reveal a role for WFS1 in the negative regulation of ER stress signaling and in the pathogenesis of diseases involving chronic, unresolvable ER stress, such as pancreatic beta cell death in diabetes.

  9. Proteasomal and Lysosomal Protein Degradation and Heart Disease

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Xuejun; Robbins, Jeffrey

    2013-01-01

    In the cell, the proteasome and lysosomes represent the most important proteolytic machineries, responsible for the protein degradation in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy, respectively. Both the UPS and autophagy are essential to protein quality and quantity control. Alterations in cardiac proteasomal and lysosomal degradation are remarkably associated with most heart disease in humans and are implicated in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure. Studies carried out ...

  10. Targeting proteasomes in infectious organisms to combat disease

    OpenAIRE

    Bibo-Verdugo, B; Jiang, Z; Caffrey, CR; O'Donoghue, AJ

    2017-01-01

    Proteasomes are multisubunit, energy-dependent, proteolytic complexes that play an essential role in intracellular protein turnover. They are present in eukaryotes, archaea, and in some actinobacteria species. Inhibition of proteasome activity has emerged as a powerful strategy for anticancer therapy and three drugs have been approved for treatment of multiple myeloma. These compounds react covalently with a threonine residue located in the active site of a proteasome subunit to block protein...

  11. VRK1 regulates Cajal body dynamics and protects coilin from proteasomal degradation in cell cycle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantarero, Lara; Sanz-García, Marta; Vinograd-Byk, Hadar; Renbaum, Paul; Levy-Lahad, Ephrat; Lazo, Pedro A

    2015-06-12

    Cajal bodies (CBs) are nuclear organelles associated with ribonucleoprotein functions and RNA maturation. CBs are assembled on coilin, its main scaffold protein, in a cell cycle dependent manner. The Ser-Thr VRK1 (vaccinia-related kinase 1) kinase, whose activity is also cell cycle regulated, interacts with and phosphorylates coilin regulating assembly of CBs. Coilin phosphorylation is not necessary for its interaction with VRK1, but it occurs in mitosis and regulates coilin stability. Knockdown of VRK1 or VRK1 inactivation by serum deprivation causes a loss of coilin phosphorylation in Ser184 and of CBs formation, which are rescued with an active VRK1, but not by kinase-dead VRK1. The phosphorylation of coilin in Ser184 occurs during mitosis before assembly of CBs. Loss of coilin phosphorylation results in disintegration of CBs, and of coilin degradation that is prevented by proteasome inhibitors. After depletion of VRK1, coilin is ubiquitinated in nuclei, which is partly mediated by mdm2, but its proteasomal degradation occurs in cytosol and is prevented by blocking its nuclear export. We conclude that VRK1 is a novel regulator of CBs dynamics and stability in cell cycle by protecting coilin from ubiquitination and degradation in the proteasome, and propose a model of CB dynamics.

  12. Mechanisms promoting and inhibiting the process of proteasomal degradation of cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedrycz Agnieszka

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Defects in the process of degradation of unneeded cellular proteins underlie many diseases. This article discusses one of the most important systems of removal of abnormal proteins. It describes the process of ubiquitination of proteins for proteasome degradation. It also describes the structure of the 26S and 20S proteasomes and the mechanism of ubiquitin-proteasome system. Proteasome proteolytic system is highly specialized and organized. Protease-proteasome 26S is particularly important for proper cell functioning. It recognizes and degrades marked proteins. Inhibition of proteasome pathway leads to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

  13. Effect of ionizing radiation exposure on Trypanosoma cruzi ubiquitin-proteasome system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cerqueira, Paula G; Passos-Silva, Danielle G; Vieira-da-Rocha, João P; Mendes, Isabela Cecilia; de Oliveira, Karla A; Oliveira, Camila F B; Vilela, Liza F F; Nagem, Ronaldo A P; Cardoso, Joseane; Nardelli, Sheila C; Krieger, Marco A; Franco, Glória R; Macedo, Andrea M; Pena, Sérgio D J; Schenkman, Sérgio; Gomes, Dawidson A; Guerra-Sá, Renata; Machado, Carlos R

    2017-03-01

    In recent years, proteasome involvement in the damage response induced by ionizing radiation (IR) became evident. However, whether proteasome plays a direct or indirect role in IR-induced damage response still unclear. Trypanosoma cruzi is a human parasite capable of remarkable high tolerance to IR, suggesting a highly efficient damage response system. Here, we investigate the role of T. cruzi proteasome in the damage response induced by IR. We exposed epimastigotes to high doses of gamma ray and we analyzed the expression and subcellular localization of several components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. We show that proteasome inhibition increases IR-induced cell growth arrest and proteasome-mediated proteolysis is altered after parasite exposure. We observed nuclear accumulation of 19S and 20S proteasome subunits in response to IR treatments. Intriguingly, the dynamic of 19S particle nuclear accumulation was more similar to the dynamic observed for Rad51 nuclear translocation than the observed for 20S. In the other hand, 20S increase and nuclear translocation could be related with an increase of its regulator PA26 and high levels of proteasome-mediated proteolysis in vitro. The intersection between the opposed peaks of 19S and 20S protein levels was marked by nuclear accumulation of both 20S and 19S together with Ubiquitin, suggesting a role of ubiquitin-proteasome system in the nuclear protein turnover at the time. Our results revealed the importance of proteasome-mediated proteolysis in T. cruzi IR-induced damage response suggesting that proteasome is also involved in T. cruzi IR tolerance. Moreover, our data support the possible direct/signaling role of 19S in DNA damage repair. Based on these results, we speculate that spatial and temporal differences between the 19S particle and 20S proteasome controls proteasome multiple roles in IR damage response. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Characterization of the proteasome from the extremely halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui

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    B. Franzetti

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available A 20S proteasome, comprising two subunits α and β, was purified from the extreme halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui, which grows only in saturated salt conditions. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the H. marismortui proteasome (Hm proteasome, obtained from negatively stained electron micrographs, is virtually identical to the structure of a thermophilic proteasome filtered to the same resolution. The stability of the Hm proteasome was found to be less salt-dependent than that of other halophilic enzymes previously described. The proteolytic activity of the Hm proteasome was investigated using the malate dehydrogenase from H. marismortui (HmMalDH as a model substrate. The HmMalDH denatures when the salt concentration is decreased below 2 M. Under these conditions, the proteasome efficiently cleaves HmMalDH during its denaturation process, but the fully denatured HmMalDH is poorly degraded. These in vitro experiments show that, at low salt concentrations, the 20S proteasome from halophilic archaea eliminates a misfolded protein.

  15. Lysine-Less Variants of Spinal Muscular Atrophy SMN and SMNΔ7 Proteins Are Degraded by the Proteasome Pathway

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    Raúl Sánchez-Lanzas

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Spinal muscular atrophy is due to mutations affecting the SMN1 gene coding for the full-length protein (survival motor neuron; SMN and the SMN2 gene that preferentially generates an exon 7-deleted protein (SMNΔ7 by alternative splicing. To study SMN and SMNΔ7 degradation in the cell, we have used tagged versions at the N- (Flag or C-terminus (V5 of both proteins. Transfection of those constructs into HeLa cells and treatment with cycloheximide showed that those protein constructs were degraded. Proteasomal degradation usually requires prior lysine ubiquitylation. Surprisingly, lysine-less variants of both proteins tagged either at N- (Flag or C-terminus (V5 were also degraded. The degradation of the endogenous SMN protein, and the protein constructs mentioned above, was mediated by the proteasome, as it was blocked by lactacystin, a specific and irreversible proteasomal inhibitor. The results obtained allowed us to conclude that SMN and SMNΔ7 proteasomal degradation did not absolutely require internal ubiquitylation nor N-terminal ubiquitylation (prevented by N-terminal tagging. While the above conclusions are firmly supported by the experimental data presented, we discuss and justify the need of deep proteomic techniques for the study of SMN complex components (orphan and bound turn-over to understand the physiological relevant mechanisms of degradation of SMN and SMNΔ7 in the cell.

  16. Chemotherapy inhibits skeletal muscle ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilignac, Thomas; Temparis, Sandrine; Combaret, Lydie; Taillandier, Daniel; Pouch, Marie-Noëlle; Cervek, Matjaz; Cardenas, Diana M; Le Bricon, Thierry; Debiton, Eric; Samuels, Susan E; Madelmont, Jean-Claude; Attaix, Didier

    2002-05-15

    Chemotherapy has cachectic effects, but it is unknown whether cytostatic agents alter skeletal muscle proteolysis. We hypothesized that chemotherapy-induced alterations in protein synthesis should result in the increased incidence of abnormal proteins, which in turn should stimulate ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolysis. The effects of the nitrosourea cystemustine were investigated in skeletal muscles from both healthy and colon 26 adenocarcinoma-bearing mice, an appropriate model for testing the impact of cytostatic agents. Muscle wasting was seen in both groups of mice 4 days after a single cystemustine injection, and the drug further increased the loss of muscle proteins already apparent in tumor-bearing animals. Cystemustine cured the tumor-bearing mice with 100% efficacy. Surprisingly, within 11 days of treatment, rates of muscle proteolysis progressively decreased below basal levels observed in healthy control mice and contributed to the cessation of muscle wasting. Proteasome-dependent proteolysis was inhibited by mechanisms that include reduced mRNA levels for 20S and 26S proteasome subunits, decreased protein levels of 20S proteasome subunits and the S14 non-ATPase subunit of the 26S proteasome, and impaired chymotrypsin- and trypsin-like activities of the enzyme. A combination of cisplatin and ifosfamide, two drugs that are widely used in the treatment of cancer patients, also depressed the expression of proteasomal subunits in muscles from rats bearing the MatB adenocarcinoma below basal levels. Thus, a down-regulation of ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent proteolysis is observed with various cytostatic agents and contributes to reverse the chemotherapy-induced muscle wasting.

  17. Identification and Characterisation of a Proteasome -

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Katrine Mølgaard

    this domain. A txl1 yeast knockout mutant displays a synthetic growth defect with a cut8 knockout, whereas the txc1 knockout does not. In fission yeast, Cut8 is a nuclear protein that tethers the 26S proteasome to the nuclear membrane. In both wild type cells and in a cut8 null mutant Txl1 co......-down of Txnl1 in HeLa cells, whereas no stabilisation was detected in txl1¿ cells in S. pombe. In human cells, an active site Txnl1 mutant formed a mixed disulfide intermediate with eEF1A1, a reported substrate-recruiting factor of the 26S proteasome. Fission yeast Txl1 can reduce an oxidised proteasomal model...

  18. Ubiquitin-proteasomal degradation of COX-2 in TGF-β stimulated human endometrial cells is mediated through endoplasmic reticulum mannosidase I.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Mohan; Chaudhry, Parvesh; Parent, Sophie; Asselin, Eric

    2012-01-01

    Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is a key regulatory enzyme in the production of prostaglandins (PG) during various physiological processes. Mechanisms of COX-2 regulation in human endometrial stromal cells (human endometrial stromal cells) are not fully understood. In this study, we investigate the role of TGF-β in the regulation of COX-2 in human uterine stromal cells. Each TGF-β isoform decreases COX-2 protein level in human uterine stromal cells in Smad2/3-dependent manner. The decrease in COX-2 is accompanied by a decrease in PG synthesis. Knockdown of Smad4 using specific small interfering RNA prevents the decrease in COX-2 protein, confirming that Smad pathway is implicated in the regulation of COX-2 expression in human endometrial stromal cells. Pretreatment with 26S proteasome inhibitor, MG132, significantly restores COX-2 protein and PG synthesis, indicating that COX-2 undergoes proteasomal degradation in the presence of TGF-β. In addition, each TGF-β isoform up-regulates endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mannosidase I (ERManI) implying that COX-2 degradation is mediated through ER-associated degradation pathway in these cells. Furthermore, inhibition of ERManI activity using the mannosidase inhibitor (kifunensine), or small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of ERManI, prevents TGF-β-induced COX-2 degradation. Taken together, these studies suggest that TGF-β promotes COX-2 degradation in a Smad-dependent manner by up-regulating the expression of ERManI and thereby enhancing ER-associated degradation and proteasomal degradation pathways.

  19. Proteasome function is not impaired in healthy aging of the lung.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caniard, Anne; Ballweg, Korbinian; Lukas, Christina; Yildirim, Ali Ö; Eickelberg, Oliver; Meiners, Silke

    2015-10-01

    Aging is the progressive loss of cellular function which inevitably leads to death. Failure of proteostasis including the decrease in proteasome function is one hallmark of aging. In the lung, proteasome activity was shown to be impaired in age-related diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, little is known on proteasome function during healthy aging. Here, we comprehensively analyzed healthy lung aging and proteasome function in wildtype, proteasome reporter and immunoproteasome knockout mice. Wildtype mice spontaneously developed senile lung emphysema while expression and activity of proteasome complexes and turnover of ubiquitinated substrates was not grossly altered in lungs of aged mice. Immunoproteasome subunits were specifically upregulated in the aged lung and the caspase-like proteasome activity concomitantly decreased. Aged knockout mice for the LMP2 or LMP7 immunoproteasome subunits showed no alteration in proteasome activities but exhibited typical lung aging phenotypes suggesting that immunoproteasome function is dispensable for physiological lung aging in mice. Our results indicate that healthy aging of the lung does not involve impairment of proteasome function. Apparently, the reserve capacity of the proteostasis systems in the lung is sufficient to avoid severe proteostasis imbalance during healthy aging.

  20. Involvement of proteasomal subunits zeta and iota in RNA degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petit, F; Jarrousse, A S; Dahlmann, B; Sobek, A; Hendil, K B; Buri, J; Briand, Y; Schmid, H P

    1997-01-01

    We have identified two distinct subunits of 20 S proteasomes that are associated with RNase activity. Proteasome subunits zeta and iota, eluted from two-dimensional Western blots, hydrolysed tobacco mosaic virus RNA, whereas none of the other subunits degraded this substrate under the same conditions. Additionally, proteasomes were dissociated by 6 M urea, and subunit zeta, containing the highest RNase activity, was isolated by anion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Purified subunit zeta migrated as a single spot on two-dimensional PAGE with a molecular mass of approx. 28 kDa. Addition of anti-(subunit zeta) antibodies led to the co-precipitation of this proteasome subunit and nuclease activity. This is the first evidence that proteasomal alpha-type subunits are associated with an enzymic activity, and our results provide further evidence that proteasomes may be involved in cellular RNA metabolism. PMID:9337855

  1. The Xanthomonas campestris type III effector XopJ targets the host cell proteasome to suppress salicylic-acid mediated plant defence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suayib Üstün

    Full Text Available The phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv requires type III effector proteins (T3Es for virulence. After translocation into the host cell, T3Es are thought to interact with components of host immunity to suppress defence responses. XopJ is a T3E protein from Xcv that interferes with plant immune responses; however, its host cellular target is unknown. Here we show that XopJ interacts with the proteasomal subunit RPT6 in yeast and in planta to inhibit proteasome activity. A C235A mutation within the catalytic triad of XopJ as well as a G2A exchange within the N-terminal myristoylation motif abolishes the ability of XopJ to inhibit the proteasome. Xcv ΔxopJ mutants are impaired in growth and display accelerated symptom development including tissue necrosis on susceptible pepper leaves. Application of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 restored the ability of the Xcv ΔxopJ to attenuate the development of leaf necrosis. The XopJ dependent delay of tissue degeneration correlates with reduced levels of salicylic acid (SA and changes in defence- and senescence-associated gene expression. Necrosis upon infection with Xcv ΔxopJ was greatly reduced in pepper plants with reduced expression of NPR1, a central regulator of SA responses, demonstrating the involvement of SA-signalling in the development of XopJ dependent phenotypes. Our results suggest that XopJ-mediated inhibition of the proteasome interferes with SA-dependent defence response to attenuate onset of necrosis and to alter host transcription. A central role of the proteasome in plant defence is discussed.

  2. Proteasome- and Ethanol-Dependent Regulation of HCV-Infection Pathogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalia A. Osna

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available This paper reviews the role of the catabolism of HCV and signaling proteins in HCV protection and the involvement of ethanol in HCV-proteasome interactions. HCV specifically infects hepatocytes, and intracellularly expressed HCV proteins generate oxidative stress, which is further exacerbated by heavy drinking. The proteasome is the principal proteolytic system in cells, and its activity is sensitive to the level of cellular oxidative stress. Not only host proteins, but some HCV proteins are degraded by the proteasome, which, in turn, controls HCV propagation and is crucial for the elimination of the virus. Ubiquitylation of HCV proteins usually leads to the prevention of HCV propagation, while accumulation of undegraded viral proteins in the nuclear compartment exacerbates infection pathogenesis. Proteasome activity also regulates both innate and adaptive immunity in HCV-infected cells. In addition, the proteasome/immunoproteasome is activated by interferons, which also induce “early” and “late” interferon-sensitive genes (ISGs with anti-viral properties. Cleaving viral proteins to peptides in professional immune antigen presenting cells and infected (“target” hepatocytes that express the MHC class I-antigenic peptide complex, the proteasome regulates the clearance of infected hepatocytes by the immune system. Alcohol exposure prevents peptide cleavage by generating metabolites that impair proteasome activity, thereby providing escape mechanisms that interfere with efficient viral clearance to promote the persistence of HCV-infection.

  3. BAG3 induces the sequestration of proteasomal clients into cytoplasmic puncta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minoia, Melania; Boncoraglio, Alessandra; Vinet, Jonathan; Morelli, Federica F; Brunsting, Jeanette F; Poletti, Angelo; Krom, Sabine; Reits, Eric; Kampinga, Harm H; Carra, Serena

    2014-01-01

    Eukaryotic cells use autophagy and the ubiquitin–proteasome system as their major protein degradation pathways. Upon proteasomal impairment, cells switch to autophagy to ensure proper clearance of clients (the proteasome-to-autophagy switch). The HSPA8 and HSPA1A cochaperone BAG3 has been suggested to be involved in this switch. However, at present it is still unknown whether and to what extent BAG3 can indeed reroute proteasomal clients to the autophagosomal pathway. Here, we show that BAG3 induces the sequestration of ubiquitinated clients into cytoplasmic puncta colabeled with canonical autophagy linkers and markers. Following proteasome inhibition, BAG3 upregulation significantly contributes to the compensatory activation of autophagy and to the degradation of the (poly)ubiquitinated proteins. BAG3 binding to the ubiquitinated clients occurs through the BAG domain, in competition with BAG1, another BAG family member, that normally directs ubiquitinated clients to the proteasome. Therefore, we propose that following proteasome impairment, increasing the BAG3/BAG1 ratio ensures the “BAG-instructed proteasomal to autophagosomal switch and sorting” (BIPASS). PMID:25046115

  4. Stressing the ubiquitin-proteasome system without 20S proteolytic inhibition selectively kills cervical cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravi K Anchoori

    Full Text Available Cervical cancer cells exhibit an increased requirement for ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation associated with an elevated metabolic turnover rate, and for specific signaling pathways, notably HPV E6-targeted degradation of p53 and PDZ proteins. Natural compounds with antioxidant properties including flavonoids and triterpenoids hold promise as anticancer agents by interfering with ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation. An increasing body of evidence indicates that their α-β unsaturated carbonyl system is the molecular determinant for inhibition of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation up-stream of the catalytic sites of the 20S proteasome. Herein we report the identification and characterization of a new class of chalcone-based, potent and cell permeable chemical inhibitors of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, and a lead compound RAMB1. RAMB1 inhibits ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation without compromising the catalytic activities of the 20S proteasome, a mechanism distinct from that of Bortezomib. Treatment of cervical cancer cells with RAMB1 triggers unfolded protein responses, including aggresome formation and Hsp90 stabilization, and increases p53 steady state levels. RAMB1 treatment results in activation of lysosomal-dependent degradation pathways as a mechanism to compensate for increasing levels of poly-ubiquitin enriched toxic aggregates. Importantly, RAMB1 synergistically triggers cell death of cervical cancer cells when combined with the lysosome inhibitor Chloroquine.

  5. Analyzing proteasomal subunit expression reveals Rpt4 as a prognostic marker in stage II colorectal cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    2012-02-01

    Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Early diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer is the key to improving survival rates and as such a need exists to identify patients who may benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. The dysregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in oncogenesis and cancer cell survival, and proteasome inhibitors are in clinical use for a number of malignancies including multiple myeloma. In our study, we examined the protein expression of several key components of the UPS in colorectal cancer using immunohistochemistry to determine expression levels of ubiquitinylated proteins and the proteasomal subunits, 20S core and Rpt4 in a cohort of 228 patients with colon cancer. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that neither the intensity of either ubiquitinylated proteins or the 20S core was predictive in either Stage II or III colon cancer for disease free survival or overall survival. In contrast, in Stage II patients increased Rpt4 staining was significantly associated with disease free survival (Cox proportional hazard ratio 0.605; p = 0.0217). Our data suggest that Rpt4 is an independent prognostic variable for Stage II colorectal cancer and may aid in the decision of which patients undergo adjuvant chemotherapy.

  6. CCR 20th anniversary commentary: Preclinical study of proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in head and neck cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allen, Clint T; Conley, Barbara; Sunwoo, John B; Van Waes, Carter

    2015-03-01

    In a study published in the May 1, 2001, issue of Clinical Cancer Research, Sunwoo and colleagues provided evidence for proteasome inhibition of NF-κB and tumorigenesis, supporting early-phase clinical trials in solid malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract. Subsequent clinical studies uncovered a dichotomy of responses in patients with hematopoietic and solid malignancies, and the mechanisms of resistance. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  7. Changes in expression of proteasome in rats at different stages of atherosclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismawati; Oenzil, Fadil; Yanwirasti; Yerizel, Eti

    2016-06-01

    It has been suggested that proteasome system has a role in initiation, progression, and complication stages of atherosclerosis. Although there is still controversy, there has been no research that compares the expression of proteasome in tissue and serum at each of these stages. This study aimed to investigated the expression of proteasome at different stages of atherosclerosis using rat model. We measured the expression of aortic proteasome by immunohistochemical analyses and were then analyzed using ImageJ software for percentage of area and integrated density. We used Photoshop version 3.0 to analyze aortic proteasome expression as a comparison. We measured serum proteasome expression by enzyme linked immunosorbents assays. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare mean value of percentage of area and serum proteasome. Analysis of variance test was used to compare mean value of integrated density. Correlation test between vascular proteasome expression and serum proteasome expression was made using Spearman test. A P-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Compared with normal, percentage of area was higher in initiation, progression, and complication. Compared with normal, integrated density was higher in initiation and further higher in progression and complication. Data from Image J is similar with data from Photoshop. Serum proteasome expression was higher in initiation compared with normal, and further higher in progression and complication. It was concluded that there were different vascular proteasome expression and serum proteasome expression at the stages of atherosclerosis. These results may be used in research into new marker and therapeutic target in atherosclerosis.

  8. Cytokine-induced oxidative stress in cardiac inflammation and heart failure – how the ubiquitin proteasome system targets this vicious cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antje eVoigt

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS is critical for the regulation of many intracellular processes necessary for cell function and survival. The absolute requirement of the UPS for the maintenance of protein homeostasis and thereby for the regulation of protein quality control is reflected by the fact that deviation of proteasome function from the norm was reported in cardiovascular pathologies. Inflammation is a major factor contributing to cardiac pathology. Herein, cytokines induce protein translation and the production of free radicals, thereby challenging the cellular protein equilibrium. Here, we discuss current knowledge on the mechanisms of UPS-functional adaptation in response to oxidative stress in cardiac inflammation. The increasing pool of oxidant-damaged degradation-prone proteins in cardiac pathology accounts for the need for enhanced protein turnover by the UPS. This process is accomplished by an up-regulation of the ubiquitylation machinery and the induction of immunoproteasomes. Thereby, the inflamed heart muscle is cleared from accumulating misfolded proteins. Current advances on immunoproteasome-specific inhibitors in this field question the impact of the proteasome as a therapeutic target in heart failure.

  9. Ikaros is degraded by proteasome-dependent mechanism in the early phase of apoptosis induction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Li-Cai; Xu, Han-Zhang; Gu, Zhi-Min; Liu, Chuan-Xu; Chen, Guo-Qiang; Wang, Yue-Fei; Wen, Dong-Hua; Wu, Ying-Li

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Chemotherapeutic drugs or UV treatment reduces Ikaros prior to caspase-3 activation. → Etoposide treatment does not alter the mRNA but shortens the half-life of Ikaros. → MG132 or epoxomicin but not calpeptin inhibits etoposide-induced Ikaros degradation. → Overexpression of Ikaros accelerates etoposide-induced apoptosis in NB4 cells. -- Abstract: Ikaros is an important transcription factor involved in the development and differentiation of hematopoietic cells. In this work, we found that chemotherapeutic drugs or ultraviolet radiation (UV) treatment could reduce the expression of full-length Ikaros (IK1) protein in less than 3 h in leukemic NB4, Kasumi-1 and Jurkat cells, prior to the activation of caspase-3. Etoposide treatment could not alter the mRNA level of IK1 but it could shorten the half-life of IK1. Co-treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 or epoxomicin but not calpain inhibitor calpeptin inhibited etoposide-induced Ikaros downregulation. Overexpression of IK1 could accelerate etoposide-induced apoptosis in NB4 cells, as evidenced by the increase of Annexin V positive cells and the more early activation of caspase 3. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that upon chemotherapy drugs or UV treatment, IK1 could be degraded via the proteasome system in the early phase of apoptosis induction. These data might shed new insight on the role of IK1 in apoptosis and the post-translational regulation of IK1.

  10. Evolution of extra-nigral damage predicts behavioural deficits in a rat proteasome inhibitor model of Parkinson's disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony C Vernon

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Establishing the neurological basis of behavioural dysfunction is key to provide a better understanding of Parkinson's disease (PD and facilitate development of effective novel therapies. For this, the relationships between longitudinal structural brain changes associated with motor behaviour were determined in a rat model of PD and validated by post-mortem immunohistochemistry. Rats bearing a nigrostriatal lesion induced by infusion of the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin into the left-medial forebrain bundle and saline-injected controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI at baseline (prior to surgery and 1, 3 and 5 weeks post-surgery with concomitant motor assessments consisting of forelimb grip strength, accelerating rotarod, and apormorphine-induced rotation. Lactacystin-injected rats developed early motor deficits alongside decreased ipsilateral cortical volumes, specifically thinning of the primary motor (M1 and somatosensory cortices and lateral ventricle hypertrophy (as determined by manual segmentation and deformation-based morphometry. Although sustained, motor dysfunction and nigrostriatal damage were maximal by 1 week post-surgery. Additional volume decreases in the ipsilateral ventral midbrain; corpus striatum and thalamus were only evident by week 3 and 5. Whilst cortical MRI volume changes best predicted the degree of motor impairment, post-mortem tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the striatum was a better predictor of motor behaviour overall, with the notable exception of performance in the accelerating rotarod, in which, M1 cortical thickness remained the best predictor. These results highlight the importance of identifying extra-nigral regions of damage that impact on behavioural dysfunction from damage to the nigrostriatal system.

  11. Proteasome dynamics between proliferation and quiescence stages of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yedidi, Ravikiran S; Fatehi, Amatullah K; Enenkel, Cordula

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) plays a critical role in cellular protein homeostasis and is required for the turnover of short-lived and unwanted proteins, which are targeted by poly-ubiquitination for degradation. Proteasome is the key protease of UPS and consists of multiple subunits, which are organized into a catalytic core particle (CP) and a regulatory particle (RP). In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, proteasome holo-enzymes are engaged in degrading poly-ubiquitinated substrates and are mostly localized in the nucleus during cell proliferation. While in quiescence, the RP and CP are sequestered into motile and reversible storage granules in the cytoplasm, called proteasome storage granules (PSGs). The reversible nature of PSGs allows the proteasomes to be transported back into the nucleus upon exit from quiescence. Nuclear import of RP and CP through nuclear pores occurs via the canonical pathway that includes the importin-αβ heterodimer and takes advantage of the Ran-GTP gradient across the nuclear membrane. Dependent on the growth stage, either inactive precursor complexes or mature holo-enzymes are imported into the nucleus. The present review discusses the dynamics of proteasomes including their assembly, nucleo-cytoplasmic transport during proliferation and the sequestration of proteasomes into PSGs during quiescence. [Formula: see text].

  12. 26 S proteasomes function as stable entities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hendil, Klavs B; Hartmann-Petersen, Rasmus; Tanaka, Keiji

    2002-01-01

    , shuttles between a free state and the 26-S proteasome, bringing substrate to the complex. However, S5a was not found in the free state in HeLa cells. Besides, all subunits in PA700, including S5a, exchanged at similar low rates. It therefore seems that 26-S proteasomes function as stable entities during...

  13. Imaging Reporters for Proteasome Activity Identify Tumor- and Metastasis-Initiating Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda C. Stacer

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Tumor-initiating cells, also designated as cancer stem cells, are proposed to constitute a subpopulation of malignant cells central to tumorigenesis, metastasis, and treatment resistance. We analyzed the activity of the proteasome, the primary organelle for targeted protein degradation, as a marker of tumor- and metastasis-initiating cells. Using human and mouse breast cancer cells expressing a validated fluorescent reporter, we found a small subpopulation of cells with low proteasome activity that divided asymmetrically to produce daughter cells with low or high proteasome activity. Breast cancer cells with low proteasome activity had greater local tumor formation and metastasis in immunocompromised and immunocompetent mice. To allow flexible labeling of cells, we also developed a new proteasome substrate based on HaloTag technology. Patient-derived glioblastoma cells with low proteasome activity measured by the HaloTag reporter show key phenotypes associated with tumor-initiating cells, including expression of a stem cell transcription factor, reconstitution of the original starting population, and enhanced neurosphere formation. We also show that patient-derived glioblastoma cells with low proteasome activity have higher frequency of tumor formation in mouse xenografts. These studies support proteasome function as a tool to investigate tumor- and metastasis-initiating cancer cells and a potential biomarker for outcomes in patients with several different cancers.

  14. Proteasome-mediated degradation of integral inner nuclear membrane protein emerin in fibroblasts lacking A-type lamins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muchir, Antoine; Massart, Catherine; Engelen, Baziel G. van; Lammens, Martin; Bonne, Gisele; Worman, Howard J.

    2006-01-01

    We previously identified and characterized a homozygous LMNA nonsense mutation leading to the absence of A-type lamins in a premature neonate who died at birth. We show here that the absence of A-type lamins is due to degradation of the aberrant mRNA transcript with a premature termination codon. In cultured fibroblasts from the subject with the homozygous LMNA nonsense mutation, there was a decreased steady-state expression of the integral inner nuclear membrane proteins emerin and nesprin-1α associated with their mislocalization to the bulk endoplasmic reticulum and a hyperphosphorylation of emerin. To determine if decreased emerin expression occurred post-translationally, we treated cells with a selective proteasome inhibitor and observed an increase in expression. Our results show that mislocalization of integral inner nuclear membrane proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum in human cells lacking A-type lamins leads to their degradation and provides the first evidence that their degradation is mediated by the proteasome

  15. Mouse zygote-specific proteasome assembly chaperone important for maternal-to-zygotic transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seung-Wook Shin

    2012-11-01

    During the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT, maternal proteins in oocytes are degraded by the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS, and new proteins are synthesized from the zygotic genome. However, the specific mechanisms underlying the UPS at the MZT are not well understood. We identified a molecule named zygote-specific proteasome assembly chaperone (ZPAC that is specifically expressed in mouse gonads, and expression of ZPAC was transiently increased at the mouse MZT. ZPAC formed a complex with Ump1 and associated with precursor forms of 20S proteasomes. Transcription of ZPAC genes was also under the control of an autoregulatory feedback mechanism for the compensation of reduced proteasome activity similar to Ump1 and 20S proteasome subunit gene expression. Knockdown of ZPAC in early embryos caused a significant reduction of proteasome activity and decrease in Ump1 and mature proteasomes, leading to accumulation of proteins that need to be degraded at the MZT and early developmental arrest. Therefore, a unique proteasome assembly pathway mediated by ZPAC is important for progression of the mouse MZT.

  16. Ciliopathy proteins regulate paracrine signaling by modulating proteasomal degradation of mediators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yangfan P.; Tsai, I-Chun; Morleo, Manuela; Oh, Edwin C.; Leitch, Carmen C.; Massa, Filomena; Lee, Byung-Hoon; Parker, David S.; Finley, Daniel; Zaghloul, Norann A.; Franco, Brunella; Katsanis, Nicholas

    2014-01-01

    Cilia are critical mediators of paracrine signaling; however, it is unknown whether proteins that contribute to ciliopathies converge on multiple paracrine pathways through a common mechanism. Here, we show that loss of cilopathy-associated proteins Bardet-Biedl syndrome 4 (BBS4) or oral-facial-digital syndrome 1 (OFD1) results in the accumulation of signaling mediators normally targeted for proteasomal degradation. In WT cells, several BBS proteins and OFD1 interacted with proteasomal subunits, and loss of either BBS4 or OFD1 led to depletion of multiple subunits from the centrosomal proteasome. Furthermore, overexpression of proteasomal regulatory components or treatment with proteasomal activators sulforaphane (SFN) and mevalonolactone (MVA) ameliorated signaling defects in cells lacking BBS1, BBS4, and OFD1, in morphant zebrafish embryos, and in induced neurons from Ofd1-deficient mice. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that other proteasome-dependent pathways not known to be associated with ciliopathies are defective in the absence of ciliopathy proteins. We found that loss of BBS1, BBS4, or OFD1 led to decreased NF-κB activity and concomitant IκBβ accumulation and that these defects were ameliorated with SFN treatment. Taken together, our data indicate that basal body proteasomal regulation governs paracrine signaling pathways and suggest that augmenting proteasomal function might benefit ciliopathy patients. PMID:24691443

  17. Dietary apigenin potentiates the inhibitory effect of interferon-α on cancer cell viability through inhibition of 26S proteasome-mediated interferon receptor degradation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng Li

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: Type I interferons (IFN-α/β have broad and potent immunoregulatory and antiproliferative activities. However, it is still known whether the dietary flavonoids exhibit their antiviral and anticancer properties by modulating the function of type I IFNs. Objective: This study aimed at determining the role of apigenin, a dietary plant flavonoid abundant in common fruits and vegetables, on the type I IFN-mediated inhibition of cancer cell viability. Design: Inhibitory effect of apigenin on human 26S proteasome, a known negative regulator of type I IFN signaling, was evaluated in vitro. Molecular docking was conducted to know the interaction between apigenin and subunits of 26S proteasome. Effects of apigenin on JAK/STAT pathway, 26S proteasome-mediated interferon receptor stability, and cancer cells viability were also investigated. Results: Apigenin was identified to be a potent inhibitor of human 26S proteasome in a cell-based assay. Apigenin inhibited the chymotrypsin-like, caspase-like, and trypsin-like activities of the human 26S proteasome and increased the ubiquitination of endogenous proteins in cells. Results from computational modeling of the potential interactions of apigenin with the chymotrypsin site (β5 subunit, caspase site (β1 subunit, and trypsin site (β2 subunit of the proteasome were consistent with the observed proteasome inhibitory activity. Apigenin enhanced the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins (STAT1 and STAT2 and promoted the endogenous IFN-α-regulated gene expression. Apigenin inhibited the IFN-α-stimulated ubiquitination and degradation of type I interferon receptor 1 (IFNAR1. Apigenin also sensitized the inhibitory effect of IFN-α on viability of cervical carcinoma HeLa cells. Conclusion: These results suggest that apigenin potentiates the inhibitory effect of IFN-α on cancer cell viability by activating JAK/STAT signaling pathway through inhibition of 26S

  18. Phase I Trial Using the Proteasome Inhibitor Bortezomib and Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Head-and-Neck Malignancies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kubicek, Gregory J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Axelrod, Rita S. [Department of Medical Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Machtay, Mitchell [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (United States); Ahn, Peter H.; Anne, Pramila R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Fogh, Shannon [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (United States); Cognetti, David [Department of Otolaryngology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Myers, Thomas J. [EMD Serono, Rockland, MA (United States); Curran, Walter J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Dicker, Adam P., E-mail: Adam.dicker@jeffersonhospital.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

    2012-07-15

    Purpose: Advanced head-and-neck cancer (HNC) remains a difficult disease to cure. Proteasome inhibitors such as bortezomib have the potential to improve survival over chemoradiotherapy alone. This Phase I dose-escalation study examined the potential of bortezomib in combination with cisplatin chemotherapy and concurrent radiation in the treatment of locally advanced and recurrent HNC. Methods and Materials: Eligible patients received cisplatin once weekly at 30 mg/m{sup 2} per week and bortezomib along with concurrent radiation. Bortezomib was given on Days 1, 4, 8, and 11 every 3 weeks, with an initial starting dose of 0.7 mg/m{sup 2} and escalation levels of 1.0 and 1.3 mg/m{sup 2}. Dose escalation was performed only after assessment to rule out any dose-limiting toxicity. Results: We enrolled 27 patients with HNC, including 17 patients with recurrent disease who had received prior irradiation. Patients received bortezomib dose levels of 0.7 mg/m{sup 2} (7 patients), 1.0 mg/m{sup 2} (10 patients), and 1.3 mg/m{sup 2} (10 patients). No Grade 5 toxicities, 3 Grade 4 toxicities (all hematologic and considered dose-limiting toxicities), and 39 Grade 3 toxicities (in 20 patients) were observed. With a median follow-up of 7.4 months, the overall median survival was 24.7 months (48.4 months for advanced HNC patients and 15.4 months for recurrent HNC patients). Conclusion: Bortezomib in combination with radiation therapy and cisplatin chemotherapy is safe in the treatment of HNC with a bortezomib maximum tolerated dose of 1.0 mg/m{sup 2} in patients previously treated for HNC and 1.3 mg/m{sup 2} in radiation-naive patients.

  19. Proteasomal control of cytokinin synthesis protects Mycobacterium tuberculosis against nitric oxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samanovic, Marie I.; Tu, Shengjiang; Novák, Ondřej; Iyer, Lakshminarayan M.; McAllister, Fiona E.; Aravind, L.; Gygi, Steven P.; Hubbard, Stevan R.; Strnad, Miroslav; Darwin, K. Heran

    2015-01-01

    Summary One of several roles of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteasome is to defend against host-produced nitric oxide (NO), a free radical that can damage numerous biological macromolecules. Mutations that inactivate proteasomal degradation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis result in bacteria that are hypersensitive to NO and attenuated for growth in vivo, but it was not known why. To elucidate the link between proteasome function, NO-resistance, and pathogenesis, we screened for suppressors of NO hypersensitivity in a mycobacterial proteasome ATPase mutant and identified mutations in Rv1205. We determined that Rv1205 encodes a pupylated proteasome substrate. Rv1205 is a homologue of the plant enzyme LONELY GUY, which catalyzes the production of hormones called cytokinins. Remarkably, we report for the first time that an obligate human pathogen secretes several cytokinins. Finally, we determined that the Rv1205-dependent accumulation of cytokinin breakdown products is likely responsible for the sensitization of Mycobacterium tuberculosis proteasome-associated mutants to NO. PMID:25728768

  20. An ethanolic extract of Artemisia dracunculus L. regulates gene expression of ubiquitin-proteasome system enzymes in skeletal muscle: potential role in the treatment of sarcopenic obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirk-Ballard, Heather; Kilroy, Gail; Day, Britton C; Wang, Zhong Q; Ribnicky, David M; Cefalu, William T; Floyd, Z Elizabeth

    2014-01-01

    Obesity is linked to insulin resistance, a primary component of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The problem of obesity-related insulin resistance is compounded when age-related skeletal muscle loss, called sarcopenia, occurs with obesity. Skeletal muscle loss results from elevated levels of protein degradation and prevention of obesity-related sarcopenic muscle loss will depend on strategies that target pathways involved in protein degradation. An extract from Artemisia dracunculus, termed PMI 5011, improves insulin signaling and increases skeletal muscle myofiber size in a rodent model of obesity-related insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of PMI 5011 on the ubiquitin-proteasome system, a central regulator of muscle protein degradation. Gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis skeletal muscle was obtained from KK-A(y) obese diabetic mice fed a control or 1% (w/w) PMI 5011-supplemented diet. Regulation of genes encoding enzymes of the ubiquitin-proteasome system was determined using real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Although MuRF-1 ubiquitin ligase gene expression is consistently down-regulated in skeletal muscle, atrogin-1, Fbxo40, and Traf6 expression is differentially regulated by PMI 5011. Genes encoding other enzymes of the ubiquitin-proteasome system ranging from ubiquitin to ubiquitin-specific proteases are also regulated by PMI 5011. Additionally, expression of the gene encoding the microtubule-associated protein-1 light chain 3 (LC3), a ubiquitin-like protein pivotal to autophagy-mediated protein degradation, is down-regulated by PMI 5011 in the vastus lateralis. PMI 5011 alters the gene expression of ubiquitin-proteasome system enzymes that are essential regulators of skeletal muscle mass. This suggests that PMI 5011 has therapeutic potential in the treatment of obesity-linked sarcopenia by regulating ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated protein degradation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc

  1. Selective increase of in vivo firing frequencies in DA SN neurons after proteasome inhibition in the ventral midbrain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramaniam, Mahalakshmi; Kern, Beatrice; Vogel, Simone; Klose, Verena; Schneider, Gaby; Roeper, Jochen

    2014-09-01

    The impairment of protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is present in sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD), and might play a key role in selective degeneration of vulnerable dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SN). Further evidence for a causal role of dysfunctional UPS in familial PD comes from mutations in parkin, which results in a loss of function of an E3-ubiquitin-ligase. In a mouse model, genetic inactivation of an essential component of the 26S proteasome lead to widespread neuronal degeneration including DA midbrain neurons and the formation of alpha-synuclein-positive inclusion bodies, another hallmark of PD. Studies using pharmacological UPS inhibition in vivo had more mixed results, varying from extensive degeneration to no loss of DA SN neurons. However, it is currently unknown whether UPS impairment will affect the neurophysiological functions of DA midbrain neurons. To answer this question, we infused a selective proteasome inhibitor into the ventral midbrain in vivo and recorded single DA midbrain neurons 2 weeks after the proteasome challenge. We found a selective increase in the mean in vivo firing frequencies of identified DA SN neurons in anesthetized mice, while those in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) were unaffected. Our results demonstrate that a single-hit UPS inhibition is sufficient to induce a stable and selective hyperexcitability phenotype in surviving DA SN neurons in vivo. This might imply that UPS dysfunction sensitizes DA SN neurons by enhancing 'stressful pacemaking'. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Human Sex Determination at the Edge of Ambiguity: INHERITED XY SEX REVERSAL DUE TO ENHANCED UBIQUITINATION AND PROTEASOMAL DEGRADATION OF A MASTER TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Racca, Joseph D; Chen, Yen-Shan; Yang, Yanwu; Phillips, Nelson B; Weiss, Michael A

    2016-10-14

    A general problem is posed by analysis of transcriptional thresholds governing cell fate decisions in metazoan development. A model is provided by testis determination in therian mammals. Its key step, Sertoli cell differentiation in the embryonic gonadal ridge, is initiated by SRY, a Y-encoded architectural transcription factor. Mutations in human SRY cause gonadal dysgenesis leading to XY female development (Swyer syndrome). Here, we have characterized an inherited mutation compatible with either male or female somatic phenotypes as observed in an XY father and XY daughter, respectively. The mutation (a crevice-forming substitution at a conserved back surface of the SRY high mobility group box) markedly destabilizes the domain but preserves specific DNA affinity and induced DNA bend angle. On transient transfection of diverse human and rodent cell lines, the variant SRY exhibited accelerated proteasomal degradation (relative to wild type) associated with increased ubiquitination; in vitro susceptibility to ubiquitin-independent ("default") cleavage by the 20S core proteasome was unchanged. The variant's gene regulatory activity (as assessed in a cellular model of the rat embryonic XY gonadal ridge) was reduced by 2-fold relative to wild-type SRY at similar levels of mRNA expression. Chemical proteasome inhibition restored native-like SRY expression and transcriptional activity in association with restored occupancy of a sex-specific enhancer element in principal downstream gene Sox9, demonstrating that the variant SRY exhibits essentially native activity on a per molecule basis. Our findings define a novel mechanism of impaired organogenesis, accelerated ubiquitin-directed proteasomal degradation of a master transcription factor leading to a developmental decision poised at the edge of ambiguity. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  3. Attenuation of ethanol abstinence-induced anxiety- and depressive-like behavior by the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor rolipram in rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Mei-Fang; Wen, Rui-Ting; Xu, Ying; Pan, Jian-Chun; Fei, Ning; Zhou, Yan-Meng; Xu, Jiang-Ping; Liang, Jian-Hui; Zhang, Han-Ting

    2017-10-01

    Withdrawal symptoms stand as a core feature of alcohol dependence. Our previous results have shown that inhibition of phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) decreased ethanol seeking and drinking in alcohol-preferring rodents. However, little is known about whether PDE4 is involved in ethanol abstinence-related behavior. The objective of this study was to characterize the role of PDE4 in the development of anxiety- and depressive-like behavior induced by abstinence from ethanol exposure in different animal models. Using three rodent models of ethanol abstinence, we examined the effects of rolipram, a prototypical, selective PDE4 inhibitor, on (1) anxiety-like behavior induced by repeated ethanol abstinence in the elevated plus maze test in fawn-hooded (FH/Wjd) rats, (2) anxiety-like behavior in the open-field test and light-dark transition test following acute ethanol abstinence in C57BL/6J mice, and (3) anxiety- and depressive-like behavior induced by protracted ethanol abstinence in the elevated plus maze, forced-swim, and tail-suspension tests in C57BL/6J mice. Pretreatment with rolipram (0.1 or 0.2 mg/kg) significantly increased entries and time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze test in rats with repeated ethanol abstinence. Similarly, in mice with acute ethanol abstinence, administration of rolipram (0.25 or 0.5 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased the crossings in the central zone of the open-field test and duration and transitions on the light side of the light-dark transition test, suggesting anxiolytic-like effects of rolipram. Consistent with these, chronic treatment with rolipram (0.1, 0.3, or 1.0 mg/kg) increased entries in the open arms of the elevated plus maze test; it also reduced the increased duration of immobility in both the forced-swim and tail-suspension tests in mice after protracted ethanol abstinence, suggesting antidepressant-like effects of rolipram. These results provide the first demonstration for that PDE4 plays a role in modulating

  4. Glucose Deprivation Triggers Protein Kinase C-dependent β-Catenin Proteasomal Degradation*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Seung-Won; Song, Jun-Kyu; Yim, Ye-Seal; Yun, Ho-Geun; Chun, Kyung-Hee

    2015-01-01

    Autophagy is a conserved process that contributes to cell homeostasis. It is well known that induction mainly occurs in response to nutrient starvation, such as starvation of amino acids and insulin, and its mechanisms have been extensively characterized. However, the mechanisms behind cellular glucose deprivation-induced autophagy are as of now poorly understood. In the present study, we determined a mechanism by which glucose deprivation induced the PKC-dependent proteasomal degradation of β-catenin, leading to autophagy. Glucose deprivation was shown to cause a sub-G1 transition and enhancement of the LC3-II protein levels, whereas β-catenin protein underwent degradation in a proteasome-dependent manner. Moreover, the inhibition of GSK3β was unable to abolish the glucose deprivation-mediated β-catenin degradation or up-regulation of LC3-II protein levels, which suggested GSK3β-independent protein degradation. Intriguingly, the inhibition of PKCα using a pharmacological inhibitor and transfection of siRNA for PKCα was observed to effectively block glucose deprivation-induced β-catenin degradation as well as the increase in LC3-II levels and the accumulation of a sub-G1 population. Together, our results demonstrated a molecular mechanism by which glucose deprivation can induce the GSK3β-independent protein degradation of β-catenin, leading to autophagy. PMID:25691573

  5. Myostatin Activates the Ubiquitin-Proteasome and Autophagy-Lysosome Systems Contributing to Muscle Wasting in Chronic Kidney Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dong-Tao; Yang, Ya-Jun; Huang, Ren-Hua; Zhang, Zhi-Hua; Lin, Xin

    2015-01-01

    Our evidence demonstrated that CKD upregulated the expression of myostatin, TNF-α, and p-IkBa and downregulated the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, and FoxO3a, which were also associated with protein degradation and muscle atrophy. The autophagosome formation and protein expression of autophagy-related genes were increased in muscle of CKD rats. The mRNA level and protein expression of MAFbx and MuRF-1 were also upregulated in CKD rats, as well as proteasome activity of 26S. Moreover, activation of myostatin elicited by TNF-α induces C2C12 myotube atrophy via upregulating the expression of autophagy-related genes, including MAFbx and MuRF1 and proteasome subunits. Inactivation of FoxO3a triggered by PI3K inhibitor LY294002 prevented the myostatin-induced increase of expression of MuRF1, MAFbx, and LC3-II protein in C2C12 myotubes. The findings were further consolidated by using siRNA interference and overexpression of myostatin. Additionally, expression of myostatin was activated by TNF-α via a NF-κB dependent pathway in C2C12 myotubes, while inhibition of NF-κB activity suppressed myostatin and improved myotube atrophy. Collectively, myostatin mediated CKD-induced muscle catabolism via coordinate activation of the autophagy and the ubiquitin-proteasome systems. PMID:26448817

  6. The age- and sex-specific decline of the 20s proteasome and the Nrf2/CncC signal transduction pathway in adaption and resistance to oxidative stress in Drosophila melanogaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pomatto, Laura C D; Wong, Sarah; Carney, Caroline; Shen, Brenda; Tower, John; Davies, Kelvin J A

    2017-04-01

    Hallmarks of aging include loss of protein homeostasis and dysregulation of stress-adaptive pathways. Loss of adaptive homeostasis, increases accumulation of DNA, protein, and lipid damage. During acute stress, the Cnc-C ( Drosophila Nrf2 orthologue) transcriptionally-regulated 20S proteasome degrades damaged proteins in an ATP-independent manner. Exposure to very low, non-toxic, signaling concentrations of the redox-signaling agent hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) cause adaptive increases in the de novo expression and proteolytic activity/capacity of the 20S proteasome in female D. melanogaster (fruit-flies). Female 20S proteasome induction was accompanied by increased tolerance to a subsequent normally toxic but sub-lethal amount of H 2 O 2 , and blocking adaptive increases in proteasome expression also prevented full adaptation. We find, however, that this adaptive response is both sex- and age-dependent. Both increased proteasome expression and activity, and increased oxidative-stress resistance, in female flies, were lost with age. In contrast, male flies exhibited no H 2 O 2 adaptation, irrespective of age. Furthermore, aging caused a generalized increase in basal 20S proteasome expression, but proteolytic activity and adaptation were both compromised. Finally, continual knockdown of Keep1 (the cytosolic inhibitor of Cnc-C) in adults resulted in older flies with greater stress resistance than their age-matched controls, but who still exhibited an age-associated loss of adaptive homeostasis.

  7. The 20S proteasome splicing activity discovered by SpliceMet.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliane Liepe

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The identification of proteasome-generated spliced peptides (PSP revealed a new unpredicted activity of the major cellular protease. However, so far characterization of PSP was entirely dependent on the availability of patient-derived cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes (CTL thus preventing a systematic investigation of proteasome-catalyzed peptide splicing (PCPS. For an unrestricted PSP identification we here developed SpliceMet, combining the computer-based algorithm ProteaJ with in vitro proteasomal degradation assays and mass spectrometry. By applying SpliceMet for the analysis of proteasomal processing products of four different substrate polypeptides, derived from human tumor as well as viral antigens, we identified fifteen new spliced peptides generated by PCPS either by cis or from two separate substrate molecules, i.e., by trans splicing. Our data suggest that 20S proteasomes represent a molecular machine that, due to its catalytic and structural properties, facilitates the generation of spliced peptides, thereby providing a pool of qualitatively new peptides from which functionally relevant products may be selected.

  8. Role of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Systems in the Biology and Virulence of Protozoan Parasites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Muñoz

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In eukaryotic cells, proteasomes perform crucial roles in many cellular pathways by degrading proteins to enforce quality control and regulate many cellular processes such as cell cycle progression, signal transduction, cell death, immune responses, metabolism, protein-quality control, and development. The catalytic heart of these complexes, the 20S proteasome, is highly conserved in bacteria, yeast, and humans. However, until a few years ago, the role of proteasomes in parasite biology was completely unknown. Here, we summarize findings about the role of proteasomes in protozoan parasites biology and virulence. Several reports have confirmed the role of proteasomes in parasite biological processes such as cell differentiation, cell cycle, proliferation, and encystation. Proliferation and cell differentiation are key steps in host colonization. Considering the importance of proteasomes in both processes in many different parasites such as Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, and Entamoeba, parasite proteasomes might serve as virulence factors. Several pieces of evidence strongly suggest that the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway is also a viable parasitic therapeutic target. Research in recent years has shown that the proteasome is a valid drug target for sleeping sickness and malaria. Then, proteasomes are a key organelle in parasite biology and virulence and appear to be an attractive new chemotherapeutic target.

  9. Combined autophagy and proteasome inhibition: a phase 1 trial of hydroxychloroquine and bortezomib in patients with relapsed/refractory myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogl, Dan T; Stadtmauer, Edward A; Tan, Kay-See; Heitjan, Daniel F; Davis, Lisa E; Pontiggia, Laura; Rangwala, Reshma; Piao, Shengfu; Chang, Yunyoung C; Scott, Emma C; Paul, Thomas M; Nichols, Charles W; Porter, David L; Kaplan, Janeen; Mallon, Gayle; Bradner, James E; Amaravadi, Ravi K

    2014-08-01

    The efficacy of proteasome inhibition for myeloma is limited by therapeutic resistance, which may be mediated by activation of the autophagy pathway as an alternative mechanism of protein degradation. Preclinical studies demonstrate that autophagy inhibition with hydroxychloroquine augments the antimyeloma efficacy of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. We conducted a phase I trial combining bortezomib and hydroxychloroquine for relapsed or refractory myeloma. We enrolled 25 patients, including 11 (44%) refractory to prior bortezomib. No protocol-defined dose-limiting toxicities occurred, and we identified a recommended phase 2 dose of hydroxychloroquine 600 mg twice daily with standard doses of bortezomib, at which we observed dose-related gastrointestinal toxicity and cytopenias. Of 22 patients evaluable for response, 3 (14%) had very good partial responses, 3 (14%) had minor responses, and 10 (45%) had a period of stable disease. Electron micrographs of bone marrow plasma cells collected at baseline, after a hydroxychloroquine run-in, and after combined therapy showed therapy-associated increases in autophagic vacuoles, consistent with the combined effects of increased trafficking of misfolded proteins to autophagic vacuoles and inhibition of their degradative capacity. Combined targeting of proteasomal and autophagic protein degradation using bortezomib and hydroxychloroquine is therefore feasible and a potentially useful strategy for improving outcomes in myeloma therapy.

  10. Decreased proteasomal function accelerates cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary emphysema in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Yosuke; Tomaru, Utano; Ishizu, Akihiro; Ito, Tomoki; Kiuchi, Takayuki; Ono, Ayako; Miyajima, Syota; Nagai, Katsura; Higashi, Tsunehito; Matsuno, Yoshihiro; Dosaka-Akita, Hirotoshi; Nishimura, Masaharu; Miwa, Soichi; Kasahara, Masanori

    2015-06-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease common in elderly people, characterized by progressive destruction of lung parenchyma and chronic inflammation of the airways. The pathogenesis of COPD remains unclear, but recent studies suggest that oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in alveolar cells contributes to emphysematous lung destruction. The proteasome is a multicatalytic enzyme complex that plays a critical role in proteostasis by rapidly destroying misfolded and modified proteins generated by oxidative and other stresses. Proteasome activity decreases with aging in many organs including lungs, and an age-related decline in proteasomal function has been implicated in various age-related pathologies. However, the role of the proteasome system in the pathogenesis of COPD has not been investigated. Recently, we have established a transgenic (Tg) mouse model with decreased proteasomal chymotrypsin-like activity, showing age-related phenotypes. Using this model, we demonstrate here that decreased proteasomal function accelerates cigarette smoke (CS)-induced pulmonary emphysema. CS-exposed Tg mice showed remarkable airspace enlargement and increased foci of inflammation compared with wild-type controls. Importantly, apoptotic cells were found in the alveolar walls of the affected lungs. Impaired proteasomal activity also enhanced apoptosis in cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-exposed fibroblastic cells derived from mice and humans in vitro. Notably, aggresome formation and prominent nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor were observed in CSE-exposed fibroblastic cells isolated from Tg mice. Collective evidence suggests that CS exposure and impaired proteasomal activity coordinately enhance apoptotic cell death in the alveolar walls that may be involved in the development and progression of emphysema in susceptible individuals such as the elderly.

  11. A small-molecule inhibitor of the ubiquitin activating enzyme for cancer treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyer, Marc L; Milhollen, Michael A; Ciavarri, Jeff; Fleming, Paul; Traore, Tary; Sappal, Darshan; Huck, Jessica; Shi, Judy; Gavin, James; Brownell, Jim; Yang, Yu; Stringer, Bradley; Griffin, Robert; Bruzzese, Frank; Soucy, Teresa; Duffy, Jennifer; Rabino, Claudia; Riceberg, Jessica; Hoar, Kara; Lublinsky, Anya; Menon, Saurabh; Sintchak, Michael; Bump, Nancy; Pulukuri, Sai M; Langston, Steve; Tirrell, Stephen; Kuranda, Mike; Veiby, Petter; Newcomb, John; Li, Ping; Wu, Jing Tao; Powe, Josh; Dick, Lawrence R; Greenspan, Paul; Galvin, Katherine; Manfredi, Mark; Claiborne, Chris; Amidon, Benjamin S; Bence, Neil F

    2018-02-01

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) comprises a network of enzymes that is responsible for maintaining cellular protein homeostasis. The therapeutic potential of this pathway has been validated by the clinical successes of a number of UPS modulators, including proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs). Here we identified TAK-243 (formerly known as MLN7243) as a potent, mechanism-based small-molecule inhibitor of the ubiquitin activating enzyme (UAE), the primary mammalian E1 enzyme that regulates the ubiquitin conjugation cascade. TAK-243 treatment caused depletion of cellular ubiquitin conjugates, resulting in disruption of signaling events, induction of proteotoxic stress, and impairment of cell cycle progression and DNA damage repair pathways. TAK-243 treatment caused death of cancer cells and, in primary human xenograft studies, demonstrated antitumor activity at tolerated doses. Due to its specificity and potency, TAK-243 allows for interrogation of ubiquitin biology and for assessment of UAE inhibition as a new approach for cancer treatment.

  12. The influence of proteasome inhibitor MG132, external radiation and unlabeled antibody on the tumor uptake and biodistribution of 188Re-labeled anti-E6 C1P5 antibody in cervical cancer in mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phaeton, Rébécca; Wang, Xing Guo; Einstein, Mark H.; Goldberg, Gary L.; Casadevall, Arturo; Dadachova, Ekaterina

    2009-01-01

    Background Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered a necessary step for the development of cervical cancer and >95% of all cervical cancers have detectable HPV sequences. We have recently demonstrated the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) which targeted viral oncoprotein E6 in treatment of experimental cervical cancer We hypothesized that pre-treatment of tumor cells with various agents which cause cell death and/or elevation of E6 levels would increase the accumulation of radiolabeled antibodies to E6 in cervical tumors. Methods HPV-16 positive CasKi cells were treated in vitro with up to 6 Gy of external radiation, or proteasome inhibitor MG-132 or unlabeled anti-E6 antibody C1P5 and cell death was assessed. Biodistribution of 188Rhenium (188Re)-labeled C1P5 antibody was performed in both control and radiation MG-132 treated CasKi tumor-bearing nude mice. Results . 188Re-C1P5 antibody demonstrated tumor specificity and very low uptake and fast clearance from the major organs. The amount of tumor uptake was enhanced by MG-132 but was unaffected by pre-treatment with radiation. In addition, in vitro studies demonstrated an unanticipated effect of unlabeled antibody on the amount of cell death, a finding that was suggested by our previous in vivo studies in CasKi tumor model. Conclusion We demonstrated that pre-treatment of cervical tumors with proteasome inhibitor MG-132 and with unlabeled antibody to E6 can serve as a means to generate non-viable cancer cells and to elevate the levels of target oncoproteins in the cells for increasing the accumulation of targeted radiolabeled antibodies in tumors. These results favor further development of RIT of cervical cancers targeting viral antigens. PMID:20127955

  13. Distinct temporal requirements for autophagy and the proteasome in yeast meiosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Fu-ping; Guo, Yue-shuai; Hu, Yang; Liu, Wei-xiao; Wang, Qian; Wang, Yuan-ting; Yu, Hai-Yan; Tang, Chao-ming; Yang, Jun; Zhou, Tao; Xie, Zhi-ping; Sha, Jia-hao; Guo, Xuejiang; Li, Wei

    2016-01-01

    Meiosis is a special type of cellular renovation that involves 2 successive cell divisions and a single round of DNA replication. Two major degradation systems, the autophagy-lysosome and the ubiquitin-proteasome, are involved in meiosis, but their roles have yet to be elucidated. Here we show that autophagy mainly affects the initiation of meiosis but not the nuclear division. Autophagy works not only by serving as a dynamic recycling system but also by eliminating some negative meiotic regulators such as Ego4 (Ynr034w-a). In a quantitative proteomics study, the proteasome was found to be significantly upregulated during meiotic divisions. We found that proteasomal activity is essential to the 2 successive meiotic nuclear divisions but not for the initiation of meiosis. Our study defines the roles of autophagy and the proteasome in meiosis: Autophagy mainly affects the initiation of meiosis, whereas the proteasome mainly affects the 2 successive meiotic divisions.

  14. Bladder cancer detection using a peptide substrate of the 20S proteasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruba, Natalia; Wysocka, Magdalena; Brzezińska, Magdalena; Dębowski, Dawid; Sieńczyk, Marcin; Gorodkiewicz, Ewa; Guszcz, Tomasz; Czaplewski, Cezary; Rolka, Krzysztof; Lesner, Adam

    2016-08-01

    The 20S catalytic core of the human 26S proteasome can be secreted from cells, and high levels of extracellular 20S proteasome have been linked to many types of cancers and autoimmune diseases. Several diagnostic approaches have been developed that detect 20S proteasome activity in plasma, but these suffer from problems with efficiency and sensitivity. In this report, we describe the optimization and synthesis of an internally quenched fluorescent substrate of the 20S proteasome, and investigate its use as a potential diagnostic test in bladder cancer. This peptide, 2-aminobenzoic acid (ABZ)-Val-Val-Ser-Tyr-Ala-Met-Gly-Tyr(3-NO2 )-NH2 , is cleaved by the chymotrypsin 20S proteasome subunit and displays an excellent specificity constant value (9.7 × 10(5)  m(-1) ·s(-1) ) and a high kcat (8 s(-1) ). Using this peptide, we identified chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity in the majority of urine samples obtained from patients with bladder cancer, whereas the proteasome activity in urine samples from healthy volunteers was below the detection limit (0.5 pm). These findings were confirmed by an inhibitory study and immunochemistry methods. © 2016 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  15. Association of proteasomal activity with metastasis in luminal breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shashova, E. E.; Fesik, E. A.; Doroshenko, A. V.

    2017-09-01

    Chimotrypsin-like (ChTL) and caspase-like (CL) proteasomal activities were investigated in different variants of the tumor progression of luminal breast cancer. Patients with primary luminal breast cancer (n = 123) in stage T1-3N0-2M0 who had not received neoadjuvant treatment were included in this study. Proteasome ChTL and CL activities were determined in the samples of tumor and adjacent tissues. The coefficients of chymotrypsin-like (kChTL) and caspase-like (kCL) proteasome activity were also calculated as the ratio of the corresponding activity in the tumor tissue to activity in the adjacent tissue. ChTL, CL, kChTL and kCL in the tissues of luminal A and B breast cancer with lymphogenic metastasis were compared, and their association with hematogenous metastasis was evaluated. On the one hand, CL activity of proteasomes increased in luminal A breast cancer with extensive lymphogenic metastasis (N2), on the other hand it decreased in the luminal B subtype of cancer. The ratio of proteasomal activity in the tumor and adjacent tissues plays a significant role in the hematogenic pathway of breast cancer progression and is associated with poor metastatic-free survival.

  16. Proteasome inhibition enhances the efficacy of volasertib-induced mitotic arrest in AML in vitro and prolongs survival in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnerch, Dominik; Schüler, Julia; Follo, Marie; Felthaus, Julia; Wider, Dagmar; Klingner, Kathrin; Greil, Christine; Duyster, Justus; Engelhardt, Monika; Wäsch, Ralph

    2017-03-28

    Elderly and frail patients, diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and ineligible to undergo intensive treatment, have a dismal prognosis. The small molecule inhibitor volasertib induces a mitotic block via inhibition of polo-like kinase 1 and has shown remarkable anti-leukemic activity when combined with low-dose cytarabine. We have demonstrated that AML cells are highly vulnerable to cell death in mitosis yet manage to escape a mitotic block through mitotic slippage by sustained proteasome-dependent slow degradation of cyclin B. Therefore, we tested whether interfering with mitotic slippage through proteasome inhibition arrests and kills AML cells more efficiently during mitosis. We show that therapeutic doses of bortezomib block the slow degradation of cyclin B during a volasertib-induced mitotic arrest in AML cell lines and patient-derived primary AML cells. In a xenotransplant mouse model of human AML, mice receiving volasertib in combination with bortezomib showed superior disease control compared to mice receiving volasertib alone, highlighting the potential therapeutic impact of this drug combination.

  17. Detection of antibodies to the 20s proteasome by ELISA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Karin Meinike; Frederiksen, Jette Lautrup; Nielsen, Christoffer Tandrup

    2013-01-01

    The presence of antibodies against the 20S proteasome has been correlated with diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but no definite association has been established. In order to investigate this further, we optimized an ELISA for proteasome antibodies...

  18. The ubiquitin-proteasome system

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    ... the discovery of protein ubiquitination has led to the recognition of cellular proteolysis as a central area of research in biology. Eukaryotic proteins targeted for degradation by this pathway are first 'tagged' by multimers of a protein known as ubiquitin and are later proteolyzed by a giant enzyme known as the proteasome.

  19. The human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor ritonavir is potentially active against urological malignancies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sato A

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Akinori Sato Department of Urology, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan Abstract: The human immunodeficiency virus protease inhibitor ritonavir has recently been shown to have antineoplastic activity, and its use in urological malignancies is under investigation with an eye toward drug repositioning. Ritonavir is thought to exert its antineoplastic activity by inhibiting multiple signaling pathways, including the Akt and nuclear factor-kappaB pathways. It can increase the amount of unfolded proteins in the cell by inhibiting both the proteasome and heat shock protein 90. Combinations of ritonavir with agents that increase the amount of unfolded proteins, such as proteasome inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, or heat shock protein 90 inhibitors, therefore, induce endoplasmic reticulum stress cooperatively and thereby kill cancer cells effectively. Ritonavir is also a potent cytochrome P450 3A4 and P-glycoprotein inhibitor, increasing the intracellular concentration of combined drugs by inhibiting their degradation and efflux from cancer cells and thereby enhancing their antineoplastic activity. Furthermore, riotnavir’s antineoplastic activity includes modulation of immune system activity. Therapies using ritonavir are thus an attractive new approach to cancer treatment and, due to their novel mechanisms of action, are expected to be effective against malignancies that are refractory to current treatment strategies. Further investigations using ritonavir are expected to find new uses for clinically available drugs in the treatment of urological malignancies as well as many other types of cancer. Keywords: drug repositioning, novel treatment

  20. Plant WEE1 kinase is cell cycle regulated and removed at mitosis via the 26S proteasome machinery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook, Gemma S.; Grønlund, Anne Lentz; Siciliano, Ilario; Spadafora, Natasha; Amini, Maryam; Herbert, Robert J.; Bitonti, M. Beatrice; Graumann, Katja; Francis, Dennis; Rogers, Hilary J.

    2013-01-01

    In yeasts and animals, premature entry into mitosis is prevented by the inhibitory phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) by WEE1 kinase, and, at mitosis, WEE1 protein is removed through the action of the 26S proteasome. Although in higher plants WEE1 function has been confirmed in the DNA replication checkpoint, Arabidopsis wee1 insertion mutants grow normally, and a role for the protein in the G2/M transition during an unperturbed plant cell cycle is yet to be confirmed. Here data are presented showing that the inhibitory effect of WEE1 on CDK activity in tobacco BY-2 cell cultures is cell cycle regulated independently of the DNA replication checkpoint: it is high during S-phase but drops as cells traverse G2 and enter mitosis. To investigate this mechanism further, a yeast two-hybrid screen was undertaken to identify proteins interacting with Arabidopsis WEE1. Three F-box proteins and a subunit of the proteasome complex were identified, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation confirmed an interaction between AtWEE1 and the F-box protein SKP1 INTERACTING PARTNER 1 (SKIP1). Furthermore, the AtWEE1–green fluorescent protein (GFP) signal in Arabidopsis primary roots treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 was significantly increased compared with mock-treated controls. Expression of AtWEE1–YFPC (C-terminal portion of yellow fluorescent protein) or AtWEE1 per se in tobacco BY-2 cells resulted in a premature increase in the mitotic index compared with controls, whereas co-expression of AtSKIP1–YFPN negated this effect. These data support a role for WEE1 in a normal plant cell cycle and its removal at mitosis via the 26S proteasome. PMID:23536609

  1. TRAIL and proteasome inhibitors combination induces a robust apoptosis in human malignant pleural mesothelioma cells through Mcl-1 and Akt protein cleavages

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Bao-Zhu; Chapman, Joshua; Ding, Min; Wang, Junzhi; Jiang, Binghua; Rojanasakul, Yon; Reynolds, Steven H

    2013-01-01

    Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive malignancy closely associated with asbestos exposure and extremely resistant to current treatments. It exhibits a steady increase in incidence, thus necessitating an urgent development of effective new treatments. Proteasome inhibitors (PIs) and TNFα-Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand (TRAIL), have emerged as promising new anti-MPM agents. To develop effective new treatments, the proapoptotic effects of PIs, MG132 or Bortezomib, and TRAIL were investigated in MPM cell lines NCI-H2052, NCI-H2452 and NCI-H28, which represent three major histological types of human MPM. Treatment with 0.5-1 μM MG132 alone or 30 ng/mL Bortezomib alone induced a limited apoptosis in MPM cells associated with the elevated Mcl-1 protein level and hyperactive PI3K/Akt signaling. However, whereas 10–20 ng/ml TRAIL alone induced a limited apoptosis as well, TRAIL and PI combination triggered a robust apoptosis in all three MPM cell lines. The robust proapoptotic activity was found to be the consequence of a positive feedback mechanism-governed amplification of caspase activation and cleavage of both Mcl-1 and Akt proteins, and exhibited a relative selectivity in MPM cells than in non-tumorigenic Met-5A mesothelial cells. The combinatorial treatment using TRAIL and PI may represent an effective new treatment for MPMs

  2. Proteins interacting with the 26S proteasome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartmann-Petersen, R; Gordon, C

    2004-01-01

    The 26S proteasome is the multi-protein protease that recognizes and degrades ubiquitinylated substrates targeted for destruction by the ubiquitin pathway. In addition to the well-documented subunit organization of the 26S holoenzyme, it is clear that a number of other proteins transiently...... associate with the 26S complex. These transiently associated proteins confer a number of different roles such as substrate presentation, cleavage of the multi-ubiquitin chain from the protein substrate and turnover of misfolded proteins. Such activities are essential for the 26S proteasome to efficiently...... fulfill its intracellular function in protein degradation....

  3. Ubiquitin Proteasome System in Parkinson Disease: a keeper or a witness?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martins-Branco, Diogo; Esteves, Ana R.; Santos, Daniel; Arduino, Daniela M.; Swerdlow, Russell H.; Oliveira, Catarina R.; Januario, Cristina; Cardoso, Sandra M.

    2014-01-01

    Objective The aim of this work was to evaluate the role of Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS) on mitochondrial-driven alpha-synuclein (aSN) clearance in in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo Parkinson disease (PD) cellular models. Method We used SH-SY5Y ndufa2 knock-down (KD) cells, PD cybrids and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients meeting the diagnostic criteria for PD. We quantified aSN aggregation, proteasome activity and protein ubiquitination levels. In PBMC of PD patients population we evaluated aSN levels in plasma and the influence of several demographic characteristics in the above mentioned determinations. Results We found that ubiquitin-independent proteasome activity was up-regulated in SH-SY5Y ndufa2 KD cells while a down regulation was observed in PD cybrids and PBMC. Moreover, we observed an increase in protein ubiquitination that correlates with a decrease in ubiquitin-dependent proteasome activity. Accordingly, proteasome inhibition prevented ubiquitin-dependent aSN clearance. Ubiquitin-independent proteasome activity was positively correlated with ubiquitination in PBMC. We also report a negative correlation of chymotrypsin-like activity with age in control and late-onset PD groups. Total ubiquitin content is positively correlated with aSN oligomers levels, which leads to an age-dependent increase of aSN ubiquitination in LOPD. Moreover, aSN levels are increased in the plasma of PD patients. Interpretation aSN oligomers are ubiquitinated and we identified an ubiquitin-dependent clearance insufficiency with accumulation of both aSN and ubiquitin. However, SH-SY5Y ndufa2 KD cells showed a significant up-regulation of ubiquitin-independent proteasomal enzymatic activity that could mean a cell rescue attempt. Moreover, we identified that UPS function is age-dependent in PBMC. PMID:22921536

  4. Obatoclax, a Pan-BCL-2 Inhibitor, Targets Cyclin D1 for Degradation to Induce Antiproliferation in Human Colorectal Carcinoma Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Or, Chi-Hung R; Chang, Yachu; Lin, Wei-Cheng; Lee, Wee-Chyan; Su, Hong-Lin; Cheung, Muk-Wing; Huang, Chang-Po; Ho, Cheesang; Chang, Chia-Che

    2016-12-27

    Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide. Aberrant overexpression of antiapoptotic BCL-2 (B-cell lymphoma 2) family proteins is closely linked to tumorigenesis and poor prognosis in colorectal cancer. Obatoclax is an inhibitor targeting all antiapoptotic BCL-2 proteins. A previous study has described the antiproliferative action of obatoclax in one human colorectal cancer cell line without elucidating the underlying mechanisms. We herein reported that, in a panel of human colorectal cancer cell lines, obatoclax inhibits cell proliferation, suppresses clonogenicity, and induces G₁-phase cell cycle arrest, along with cyclin D1 downregulation. Notably, ectopic cyclin D1 overexpression abrogated clonogenicity suppression but also G₁-phase arrest elicited by obatoclax. Mechanistically, pre-treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 restored cyclin D1 levels in all obatoclax-treated cell lines. Cycloheximide chase analyses further revealed an evident reduction in the half-life of cyclin D1 protein by obatoclax, confirming that obatoclax downregulates cyclin D1 through induction of cyclin D1 proteasomal degradation. Lastly, threonine 286 phosphorylation of cyclin D1, which is essential for initiating cyclin D1 proteasomal degradation, was induced by obatoclax in one cell line but not others. Collectively, we reveal a novel anticancer mechanism of obatoclax by validating that obatoclax targets cyclin D1 for proteasomal degradation to downregulate cyclin D1 for inducing antiproliferation.

  5. In vivo efficacy of acyl CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) 1 inhibition in rodent models of postprandial hyperlipidemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Andrew J; Segreti, Jason A; Larson, Kelly J; Souers, Andrew J; Kym, Philip R; Reilly, Regina M; Collins, Christine A; Voorbach, Martin J; Zhao, Gang; Mittelstadt, Scott W; Cox, Bryan F

    2010-07-10

    Postprandial serum triglyceride concentrations have recently been identified as a major, independent risk factor for future cardiovascular events. As a result, postprandial hyperlipidemia has emerged as a potential therapeutic target. The purpose of this study was two-fold. Firstly, to describe and characterize a standardized model of postprandial hyperlipidemia in multiple rodent species; and secondly, apply these rodent models to the evaluation of a novel class of pharmacologic agent; acyl CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) 1 inhibitors. Serum triglycerides were measured before and for 4h after oral administration of a standardized volume of corn oil, to fasted C57BL/6, ob/ob, apoE(-/-) and CD-1 mice; Sprague-Dawley and JCR/LA-cp rats; and normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic hamsters. Intragastric administration of corn oil increased serum triglycerides in all animals evaluated, however the magnitude and time-course of the postprandial triglyceride excursion varied. The potent and selective DGAT-1 inhibitor A-922500 (0.03, 0.3 and 3 mg/kg, p.o.), dose-dependently attenuated the maximal postprandial rise in serum triglyceride concentrations in all species tested. At the highest dose of DGAT-1 inhibitor, the postprandial triglyceride response was abolished. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of the time-course of postprandial hyperlipidemia in rodents. In addition, the ability of DGAT-1 inhibitors to attenuate postprandial hyperlipidemia in multiple rodent models, including those that feature insulin resistance, is documented. Exaggerated postprandial hyperlipidemia is inherent to insulin-resistant states in humans and contributes to the substantially elevated cardiovascular risk observed in these patients. Therefore, by attenuating postprandial hyperlipidemia, DGAT-1 inhibition may represent a novel therapeutic approach to reduce cardiovascular risk. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. KRAS Genotype Correlates with Proteasome Inhibitor Ixazomib Activity in Preclinical In Vivo Models of Colon and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Potential Role of Tumor Metabolism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nibedita Chattopadhyay

    Full Text Available In non-clinical studies, the proteasome inhibitor ixazomib inhibits cell growth in a broad panel of solid tumor cell lines in vitro. In contrast, antitumor activity in xenograft tumors is model-dependent, with some solid tumors showing no response to ixazomib. In this study we examined factors responsible for ixazomib sensitivity or resistance using mouse xenograft models. A survey of 14 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC and 6 colon xenografts showed a striking relationship between ixazomib activity and KRAS genotype; tumors with wild-type (WT KRAS were more sensitive to ixazomib than tumors harboring KRAS activating mutations. To confirm the association between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity, we used SW48 isogenic colon cancer cell lines. Either KRAS-G13D or KRAS-G12V mutations were introduced into KRAS-WT SW48 cells to generate cells that stably express activated KRAS. SW48 KRAS WT tumors, but neither SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors nor SW48-KRAS-G12V tumors, were sensitive to ixazomib in vivo. Since activated KRAS is known to be associated with metabolic reprogramming, we compared metabolite profiling of SW48-WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors treated with or without ixazomib. Prior to treatment there were significant metabolic differences between SW48 WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors, reflecting higher oxidative stress and glucose utilization in the KRAS-G13D tumors. Ixazomib treatment resulted in significant metabolic regulation, and some of these changes were specific to KRAS WT tumors. Depletion of free amino acid pools and activation of GCN2-eIF2α-pathways were observed both in tumor types. However, changes in lipid beta oxidation were observed in only the KRAS WT tumors. The non-clinical data presented here show a correlation between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity in NSCLC and colon xenografts and provide new evidence of regulation of key metabolic pathways by proteasome inhibition.

  7. KRAS Genotype Correlates with Proteasome Inhibitor Ixazomib Activity in Preclinical In Vivo Models of Colon and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Potential Role of Tumor Metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chattopadhyay, Nibedita; Berger, Allison J; Koenig, Erik; Bannerman, Bret; Garnsey, James; Bernard, Hugues; Hales, Paul; Maldonado Lopez, Angel; Yang, Yu; Donelan, Jill; Jordan, Kristen; Tirrell, Stephen; Stringer, Bradley; Xia, Cindy; Hather, Greg; Galvin, Katherine; Manfredi, Mark; Rhodes, Nelson; Amidon, Ben

    2015-01-01

    In non-clinical studies, the proteasome inhibitor ixazomib inhibits cell growth in a broad panel of solid tumor cell lines in vitro. In contrast, antitumor activity in xenograft tumors is model-dependent, with some solid tumors showing no response to ixazomib. In this study we examined factors responsible for ixazomib sensitivity or resistance using mouse xenograft models. A survey of 14 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 6 colon xenografts showed a striking relationship between ixazomib activity and KRAS genotype; tumors with wild-type (WT) KRAS were more sensitive to ixazomib than tumors harboring KRAS activating mutations. To confirm the association between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity, we used SW48 isogenic colon cancer cell lines. Either KRAS-G13D or KRAS-G12V mutations were introduced into KRAS-WT SW48 cells to generate cells that stably express activated KRAS. SW48 KRAS WT tumors, but neither SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors nor SW48-KRAS-G12V tumors, were sensitive to ixazomib in vivo. Since activated KRAS is known to be associated with metabolic reprogramming, we compared metabolite profiling of SW48-WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors treated with or without ixazomib. Prior to treatment there were significant metabolic differences between SW48 WT and SW48-KRAS-G13D tumors, reflecting higher oxidative stress and glucose utilization in the KRAS-G13D tumors. Ixazomib treatment resulted in significant metabolic regulation, and some of these changes were specific to KRAS WT tumors. Depletion of free amino acid pools and activation of GCN2-eIF2α-pathways were observed both in tumor types. However, changes in lipid beta oxidation were observed in only the KRAS WT tumors. The non-clinical data presented here show a correlation between KRAS genotype and ixazomib sensitivity in NSCLC and colon xenografts and provide new evidence of regulation of key metabolic pathways by proteasome inhibition.

  8. A free radical-generating system regulates AβPP metabolism/processing: involvement of the ubiquitin/proteasome and autophagy/lysosome pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Recuero, María; Munive, Victor A; Sastre, Isabel; Aldudo, Jesús; Valdivieso, Fernando; Bullido, María J

    2013-01-01

    Oxidative stress is an early event in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously reported that, in SK-N-MC cells, the xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X-XOD) free radical generating system regulates the metabolism/processing of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP). Oxidative stress alters the two main cellular proteolytic machineries, the ubiquitin/proteasome (UPS) and the autophagy/lysosome systems, and recent studies have established connections between the malfunctioning of these and the pathogenesis of AD. The aim of the present work was to examine the involvement of these proteolytic systems in the regulation of AβPP metabolism by X-XOD. The proteasome inhibitor MG132 was found to accelerate the metabolism/processing of AβPP promoted by X-XOD because it significantly enhances the secretion of α-secretase-cleaved soluble AβPP and also the levels of both carboxy-terminal fragments (CTFs) produced by α- and β-secretase. Further, MG132 modulated the intracellular accumulation of holo-AβPP and/or AβPP CTFs. This indicates that the X-XOD modulation of AβPP metabolism/processing involves the UPS pathway. With respect to the autophagy/lysosome pathway, the AβPP processing and intracellular location patterns induced by X-XOD treatment closely resembled those produced by the lysosome inhibitor ammonium chloride. The present results suggest that the regulation of AβPP metabolism/processing by mild oxidative stress requires UPS activity with a simultaneous reduction in that of the autophagy/lysosome system.

  9. Epidermal Growth Factor Cytoplasmic Domain Affects ErbB Protein Degradation by the Lysosomal and Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway in Human Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandra Glogowska

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available The cytoplasmic domains of EGF-like ligands, including EGF cytoplasmic domain (EGFcyt, have important biological functions. Using specific constructs and peptides of human EGF cytoplasmic domain, we demonstrate that EGFcyt facilitates lysosomal and proteasomal protein degradation, and this coincided with growth inhibition of human thyroid and glioma carcinoma cells. EGFcyt and exon 22–23-encoded peptide (EGF22.23 enhanced procathepsin B (procathB expression and procathB-mediated lysosomal degradation of EGFR/ErbB1 as determined by inhibitors for procathB and the lysosomal ATPase inhibitor BafA1. Presence of mbEGFctF, EGFcyt, EGF22.23, and exon 23-encoded peptides suppressed the expression of the deubiqitinating enzyme ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1. This coincided with hyperubiquitination of total cellular proteins and ErbB1/2 and reduced proteasome activity. Upon small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of endogenously expressed UCH-L1, a similar hyperubiquitinylation phenotype, reduced ErbB1/2 content, and attenuated growth was observed. The exon 23-encoded peptide region of EGFcyt was important for these biologic actions. Structural homology modeling of human EGFcyt showed that this molecular region formed an exposed surface loop. Peptides derived from this EGFcyt loop structure may aid in the design of novel peptide therapeutics aimed at inhibiting growth of cancer cells.

  10. Degradation of the encephalomyocarditis virus and hepatitis A virus 3C proteases by the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlax, Peter E.; Zhang Jin; Lewis, Elizabeth; Planchart, Antonio; Lawson, T. Glen

    2007-01-01

    We have isolated stably transfected mouse embryonic fibroblast cell lines that inducibly express either the mature encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) or hepatitis A virus (HAV) 3C protease and have used these cells to demonstrate that both proteins are subject to degradation in vivo by the ubiquitin/26S proteasome system. The detection of 3C protease expression in these cells requires inducing conditions and the presence of one of several proteasome inhibitors. Both 3C proteases are incorporated into conjugates with ubiquitin in vivo. HAV 3C protease expression has deleterious effects on cell viability, as determined by observation and counting of cells cultured in the absence or presence of inducing conditions. The EMCV 3C protease was found to be preferentially localized to the nucleus of induced cells, while the HAV 3C protease remains in the cytoplasm. The absence of polyubiquitinated EMCV 3C protease conjugates in nuclear fraction preparations suggests that localization to the nucleus can protect this protein from ubiquitination

  11. Acetylation-Mediated Proteasomal Degradation of Core Histones during DNA Repair and Spermatogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Min-Xian; Pang, Ye; Liu, Cui Hua; Haratake, Kousuke; Du, Bo-Yu; Ji, Dan-Yang; Wang, Guang-Fei; Zhu, Qian-Qian; Song, Wei; Yu, Yadong; Zhang, Xiao-Xu; Huang, Hai-Tao; Miao, Shiying; Chen, Lian-Bin; Zhang, Zi-Hui; Liang, Ya-Nan; Liu, Shan; Cha, Hwangho; Yang, Dong; Zhai, Yonggong; Komatsu, Takuo; Tsuruta, Fuminori; Li, Haitao; Cao, Cheng; Li, Wei; Li, Guo-Hong; Cheng, Yifan; Chiba, Tomoki; Wang, Linfang; Goldberg, Alfred L.; Shen, Yan; Qiu, Xiao-Bo

    2013-01-01

    SUMMARY Histone acetylation plays critical roles in chromatin remodeling, DNA repair, and epigenetic regulation of gene expression, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Proteasomes usually catalyze ATP- and polyubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. Here we show that the proteasomes containing the activator PA200 catalyze the polyubiquitin-independent degradation of histones. Most proteasomes in mammalian testes (“spermatoproteasomes”) contain a spermatid/sperm-specific α-subunit α4s/PSMA8 and/or the catalytic β-subunits of immunoproteasomes in addition to PA200. Deletion of PA200 in mice abolishes acetylation-dependent degradation of somatic core histones during DNA double-strand breaks, and delays core histone disappearance in elongated spermatids. Purified PA200 greatly promotes ATP-independent proteasomal degradation of the acetylated core histones, but not polyubiquitinated proteins. Furthermore, acetylation on histones is required for their binding to the bromodomain-like regions in PA200 and its yeast ortholog, Blm10. Thus, PA200/Blm10 specifically targets the core histones for acetylation-mediated degradation by proteasomes, providing mechanisms by which acetylation regulates histone degradation, DNA repair, and spermatogenesis. PMID:23706739

  12. Early cysteine-dependent inactivation of 26S proteasomes does not involve particle disassembly

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martín Hugo

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Under oxidative stress 26S proteasomes suffer reversible disassembly into its 20S and 19S subunits, a process mediated by HSP70. This inhibits the degradation of polyubiquitinated proteins by the 26S proteasome and allows the degradation of oxidized proteins by a free 20S proteasome. Low fluxes of antimycin A-stimulated ROS production caused dimerization of mitochondrial peroxiredoxin 3 and cytosolic peroxiredoxin 2, but not peroxiredoxin overoxidation and overall oxidation of cellular protein thiols. This moderate redox imbalance was sufficient to inhibit the ATP stimulation of 26S proteasome activity. This process was dependent on reversible cysteine oxidation. Moreover, our results show that this early inhibition of ATP stimulation occurs previous to particle disassembly, indicating an intermediate step during the redox regulation of the 26S proteasome with special relevance under redox signaling rather than oxidative stress conditions.

  13. Neurotoxicity to DRG neurons varies between rodent strains treated with cisplatin and bortezomib.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podratz, Jewel L; Kulkarni, Amit; Pleticha, Josef; Kanwar, Rahul; Beutler, Andreas S; Staff, Nathan P; Windebank, Anthony J

    2016-03-15

    Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major dose limiting side effect that can lead to long-term morbidity. Approximately one-third of patients receiving chemotherapy with taxanes, vinca alkaloids, platinum compounds or proteasome inhibitors develop this toxic side effect. It is not possible to predict who will get CIPN, however, genetic susceptibility may play a role. We explored this hypothesis using an established in vitro dorsal root ganglia neurite outgrowth (DRG-NOG) assay to assess possible genetic influences for cisplatin- and bortezomib-induced neurotoxicity. Almost all previous in vitro studies have used rats or mice. We compared DRG-NOG between four genetically defined, inbred mouse strains (C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, BALB/cJ, and C3H/HeJ) and one rat strain (Sprague Dawley). Our studies found differences in cisplatin and bortezomib-induced neurotoxicity between mouse and rat strains and between the different mouse strains. C57BL/6J and Balb/cJ DRG-NOG was more sensitive to cisplatin than DBA/2J and C3H/HeJ DRG-NOG, and all mouse strains were more sensitive to cisplatin than rat. Bortezomib induced a biphasic dose response in DBA/2J and C3H/H3J mice. C57BL/6J DRG-NOG was most sensitive and Balb/cJ DRG-NOG was least sensitive to bortezomib. Our animal data supports the hypothesis that genetic background may play a role in CIPN and care must be taken when rodent models are used to better understand the contribution of genetics in patient susceptibility to CIPN. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. High-throughput siRNA screening applied to the ubiquitin-proteasome system

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Esben Guldahl; Nielsen, Sofie V.; Pietras, Elin J.

    2016-01-01

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system is the major pathway for intracellular protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. Due to the large number of genes dedicated to the ubiquitin-proteasome system, mapping degradation pathways for short lived proteins is a daunting task, in particular in mammalian cells...

  15. Quantitative assessment of the degradation of aggregated TDP-43 mediated by the ubiquitin proteasome system and macroautophagy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cascella, Roberta; Fani, Giulia; Capitini, Claudia; Rusmini, Paola; Poletti, Angelo; Cecchi, Cristina; Chiti, Fabrizio

    2017-12-01

    Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with ubiquitin-positive inclusions are neurodegenerative disorders that share the cytosolic deposition of TDP-43 (TAR DNA-binding protein 43) in the CNS. TDP-43 is well known as being actively degraded by both the proteasome and macroautophagy. The well-documented decrease in the efficiency of these clearance systems in aging and neurodegeneration, as well as the genetic evidence that many of the familial forms of TDP-43 proteinopathies involve genes that are associated with them, suggest that a failure of these protein degradation systems is a major factor that contributes to the onset of TDP-43-associated disorders. Here, we inserted preformed human TDP-43 aggregates in the cytosol of murine NSC34 and N2a cells in diffuse form and observed their degradation under conditions in which exogenous TDP-43 is not expressed and endogenous nuclear TDP-43 is not recruited, thereby allowing a time zero to be established in TDP-43 degradation and to observe its disposal kinetically and analytically. TDP-43 degradation was observed in the absence and presence of selective inhibitors and small interfering RNAs against the proteasome and autophagy. We found that cytosolic diffuse aggregates of TDP-43 can be distinguished in 3 different classes on the basis of their vulnerability to degradation, which contributed to the definition-with previous reports-of a total of 6 distinct classes of misfolded TDP-43 species that range from soluble monomer to undegradable macroaggregates. We also found that the proteasome and macroautophagy-degradable pools of TDP-43 are fully distinguishable, rather than in equilibrium between them on the time scale required for degradation, and that a significant crosstalk exists between the 2 degradation processes.-Cascella, R., Fani, G., Capitini, C., Rusmini, P., Poletti, A., Cecchi, C., Chiti, F. Quantitative assessment of the degradation of aggregated TDP-43 mediated by the ubiquitin

  16. Apoptosis inducer NGFI-B is degraded by the proteasome and stabilized by treatment with EGF

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Strom, Bjorn O. [Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1068 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo (Norway); Paulsen, Ragnhild E., E-mail: r.e.paulsen@farmasi.uio.no [Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1068 Blindern, N-0316 Oslo (Norway)

    2012-01-27

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B is a molecular target for some anti-cancer drugs. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B turnover may be important for their anti-cancer action. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B is degraded by the proteasome. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer NGFI-B is stabilized by treatment with EGF. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mimicking the EGF-induced phosphorylation also stabilizes the protein. -- Abstract: NGFI-B is a nuclear receptor and immediate early gene that is upregulated in many different tumour cell lines. As it is involved in cell death and survival, it has been suggested as a target for anti-cancer drugs. The protein level of NGFI-B is important for its functions and may be regulated through induction or stabilization. NGFI-B protein stability was studied using the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide in CV1 cells transiently transfected with NGFI-B. Inhibiting the proteasome with MG132 stabilized NGFI-B, indicating that the proteasome is responsible for break-down of NGFI-B, as it is for many nuclear receptors. In order to determine regions responsible for the break-down of NGFI-B two N-terminal regions with high PEST-scores were deleted. Deletion of amino acids 122-195 containing a PEST-sequence which includes an ERK2 phosphorylation target, gave a more stable protein. In addition, treatment of the cells with the ERK2 activator EGF increased the stability of wild type NGFI-B. We then tested whether a mutation at threonine 142 influenced the stability of NGFI-B. We found that the phosphorylation-mimicking mutant NGFI-B T142E had an increased stability, while the non-phosphorylable mutant (T142A) showed similar stability to the wild type. Thus, EGF-stimulation of cells may be a mechanism for priming the cells for effects of NGFI-B by increasing its stability.

  17. Diclofenac induces proteasome and mitochondrial dysfunction in murine cardiomyocytes and hearts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Rajeshwary; Goswami, Sumanta K; Feitoza, Luis Felipe B B; Hammock, Bruce; Gomes, Aldrin V

    2016-11-15

    One of the most common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used worldwide, diclofenac (DIC), has been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The molecular mechanism(s) by which DIC causes CVD is unknown. Proteasome activities were studied in hearts, livers, and kidneys from male Swiss Webster mice treated with either 100mg/kg DIC for 18h (acute treatment) or 10mg/kg DIC for 28days (chronic treatment). Cultured H9c2 cells and neonatal cardiomyocytes were also treated with different concentrations of DIC and proteasome function, cell death and ROS generation studied. Isolated mouse heart mitochondria were utilized to determine the effect of DIC on various electron transport chain complex activities. DIC significantly inhibited the chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity in rat cardiac H9c2 cells, murine neonatal cardiomyocytes, and mouse hearts, but did not affect proteasome subunit expression levels. Proteasome activity was also affected in liver and kidney tissues from DIC treated animals. The levels of polyubiquitinated proteins increased in hearts from DIC treated mice. Importantly, the levels of oxidized proteins increased while the β5i immunoproteasome activity decreased in hearts from DIC treated mice. DIC increased ROS production and cell death in H9c2 cells and neonatal cardiomyocytes while the cardioprotective NSAID, aspirin, had no effect on ROS levels or cell viability. DIC inhibited mitochondrial Complex III, a major source of ROS, and impaired mitochondrial membrane potential suggesting that mitochondria are the major sites of ROS generation. These results suggest that DIC induces cardiotoxicity by a ROS dependent mechanism involving mitochondrial and proteasome dysfunction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Upregulated ROS production induced by the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 on XBP1 gene expression and cell apoptosis in Tca-8113 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hai-ying; Ren, Xiao-yan; Wang, Wei-hua; Zhang, Ying-xin; Chen, Shuang-feng; Zhang, Bin; Wang, Le-xin

    2014-07-01

    Exposure of Tca-8113 cells to proteasome inhibitor carbobenzoxy-Leu-Leu-leucinal (MG-132) causing apoptosis is associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. X-box-binding protein-1 (XBP1) is an important regulator of a subset of genes active during ER stress, which is related to cell survival and is required for tumor growth. The present study is to evaluate the effect of MG-132 on ROS production, XBP1 gene expression, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2), ASK1 and c-jun protein expression in tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line Tca-8113 cells. ROS production was measured by reactive oxygen species assay. X-box binding protein-1 (XBP1) mRNA was analyzed by real-time-PCR, TRAF2, ASK1 and c-jun protein were investigated by western blot and immunocytochemistry respectively. The result indicated that ROS production, TRAF2, ASK1 and c-jun were elevated in MG-132 treated cells. Giving ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) largely prevented the effects of MG-132. Furthermore, treating with MG-132 lead to decreased XBP1 mRNA expression but could not completely block the expression of XBP1. Taken together, these findings provide the evidence that MG-132 induced ER stress lead to Tca-8113 cells apoptosis through ROS generation and TRAF2-ASK1-JNK signal pathway activation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Defective Proteasome Delivery of Polyubiquitinated Proteins by Ubiquilin-2 Proteins Containing ALS Mutations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lydia Chang

    Full Text Available Ubiquilin proteins facilitate delivery of ubiquitinated proteins to the proteasome for degradation. Interest in the proteins has been heightened by the discovery that gene mutations in UBQLN2 cause dominant inheritance of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS. However, the mechanisms by which the mutations cause ALS are not known. Here we report on the underlying defect of ubiquilin-2 proteins containing ALS-linked mutations in affecting proteasome-mediated degradation. We found that overexpression of ubiquilin-2 proteins containing any one of five different ALS mutations slow degradation of Myc, a prototypic proteasome substrate. Examination of coprecipitating proteins indicated that the mutant proteins are generally capable of binding polyubiquitinated proteins, but defective in binding the proteasome. GST-pulldown studies revealed that many of the mutants bind weaker to the S5a subunit of the proteasome, compared with wild type (WT ubiquilin-2 protein. The results suggest the mutant proteins are unable to deliver their captured cargo to the proteasome for degradation, which presumably leads to toxicity. Quantification of cell death is consistent with this idea. Measurement of protein turnover further indicated the mutant proteins have longer half-lives than WT ubiquilin-2. Our studies provide novel insight into the mechanism by which ALS-linked mutations in UBQLN2 interfere with protein degradation.

  20. Proteasome (Prosome Subunit Variations during the Differentiation of Myeloid U937 Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laurent Henry

    1997-01-01

    Full Text Available 20S proteasomes (prosomes/multicatalytic proteinase are protein particles built of 28 subunits in variable composition. We studied the changes in proteasome subunit composition during the differentiation of U937 cells induced by phorbol‐myristate‐acetate or retinoic acid plus 1,25‐dihydroxy‐cholecalciferol by western blot, flow cytometry and immuno‐fluorescence. p25K (C3, p27K (IOTA and p30/33K (C2 subunits were detected in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of undifferentiated cells. Flow cytometry demonstrated a biphasic decrease in proteasome subunits detection during differentiation induced by RA+VD. PMA caused an early transient decrease in these subunits followed by a return to their control level, except for p30/33K, which remained low. Immuno‐fluorescence also showed differences in the cytolocalization of the subunits, with a particular decrease in antigen labeling in the nucleus of RA+VD‐induced cells, and a scattering in the cytoplasm and a reorganization in the nucleus of PMA‐induced cells. Small amounts of proteasomal proteins were seen on the outer membrane of non‐induced cells; these membrane proteins disappeared when treated with RA+VD, whereas some increased on PMA‐induced cells. The differential changes in the distribution and type of proteasomes in RA+VD and PMA‐induced cells indicate that, possibly, 20S proteasomes may play a role in relation to the mechanisms of differentiation and the inducer used.

  1. Proteasome activity related with the daily physical activity of COPD patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee KY

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Kang-Yun Lee,1,2,* Tzu-Tao Chen,1,* Ling-Ling Chiang,1,3 Hsiao-Chi Chuang,1,3 Po-Hao Feng,1,2 Wen-Te Liu,1–3 Kuan-Yuan Chen,1 Shu-Chuan Ho1,3 1Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 2Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, 3School of Respiratory Therapy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: COPD is a debilitating disease that affects patients’ daily lives. One’s daily physical activity (DPA decreases due to multifactorial causes, and this decrease is correlated with a poor prognosis in COPD patients. Muscle wasting may at least be partly due to increased activity of the ubiquitin proteasome pathway and apoptosis.Methods: This study investigated the relationships among DPA, circulating proteasome activity, and protein carbonyl in COPD patients and healthy subjects (HSs. This study included 57 participants (42 patients and 15 healthy subjects. Ambulatory DPA was measured using actigraphy, and oxygen saturation was measured with a pulse oximeter.Results: COPD patients had lower DPA, lower 6 min walking distance (6MWD, lower delta saturation pulse oxygenation (SpO2 during the 6MWT, and lower delta SpO2 during DPA than HSs. COPD patients had higher proteasome activity and protein carbonyl than HSs. Circulating proteasome activity was significantly negatively correlated with DPA (r=−0.568, P<0.05 in COPD patients, whereas delta SpO2 during the 6MWT was significantly positively correlated with proteasome activity (r=0.685, P<0.05 in HSs. Protein carbonyl was significantly negatively correlated with the body mass index (r=−0.318, P<0.05, mid-arm circumference (r=0.350, P<0.05, calf circumference (r=0.322, P<0.05, forced expiratory volume in the first second (r=−0.441, P<0

  2. Pleural effusion in 11:14 translocation q1 multiple myeloma in the setting of proteasome inhibitor presents therapeutic complexity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghannam, Malik; Bryan, Maria; Kuross, Erik; Berry, Brent

    2018-01-01

    Primary malignant pleural effusion has been reported in about 134 cases of multiple myeloma (MM). Associated pleural effusions in cases of MM portend a poor prognosis and identifying them is highly relevant. Reported is the case of a man diagnosed with MM who developed primary myelomatous pleural effusion in the setting of multiple relapses and subsequent mortality within 2 months of the pleural effusion diagnosis. A 61-year-old African American man was diagnosed with MM in 2011. He received induction therapy of lenalidomide and dexamethasone and an autologous stem cell transplant in 2012. Over the next 5 years, the patient went through alternating periods of remission and relapse that were treated with two rounds of thoracic spine radiation therapy and chemotherapeutic agents. In September 2017, the patient presented with worsening dyspnea and was found to have pleural effusion. Fluid analysis showed plasma cell dyscrasia. Fluid drainage was performed, then the patient was discharged after 1 week which was followed by rapid re-accumulation of fluid and rehospitalization about 10 days after discharge. The patient passed away a few weeks after the second admission. Pleural effusion carries a differential diagnosis which may include malignancy but is commonly thought to be less specific to multiple myeloma but should still remain in the differential diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case of myelomatous pleural effusion (MPE) that was reported after multiple relapses of MM. MPE is a very rare complication of MM, and its presence is a strong indicator of imminent mortality and need for comfort care in case of multiple relapses. End-stage pleural effusion in MM in the setting of proteasome inhibitor adds more therapeutic and diagnostic challenges.

  3. Neuropsychotoxicity of abused drugs: involvement of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 in methamphetamine-induced behavioral sensitization and reward in rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizoguchi, Hiroyuki; Yamada, Kiyofumi; Nabeshima, Toshitaka

    2008-01-01

    Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their inhibitors (TIMPs) function to remodel the pericellular environment. We have investigated the role of the MMP/TIMP system in methamphetamine (METH) dependence in rodents, in which the remodeling of neural circuits may be crucial. Repeated METH treatment induced behavioral sensitization, which was accompanied by an increase in MMP-2/-9/TIMP-2 activity in the brain. An antisense TIMP-2 oligonucleotide enhanced the sensitization, which was associated with a potentiation of the METH-induced release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). MMP-2/-9 inhibitors blocked the METH-induced behavioral sensitization and conditioned place preference (CPP), a measure of the rewarding effect of a drug, and reduced the METH-increased dopamine release in the NAc. In MMP-2- and MMP-9-deficient mice, METH-induced behavioral sensitization and CPP as well as dopamine release were attenuated. The MMP/TIMP system may be involved in METH-induced sensitization and reward by regulating extracellular dopamine levels.

  4. [11 C]Rhodamine-123: Synthesis and biodistribution in rodents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bao Xiaofeng; Lu Shuiyu; Liow, Jeih-San; Morse, Cheryl L.; Anderson, Kacey B.; Zoghbi, Sami S.; Innis, Robert B.; Pike, Victor W.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: Rhodamine-123 is a known substrate for the efflux transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp). We wished to assess whether rhodamine-123 might serve as a useful substrate for developing probes for imaging efflux transporters in vivo with positron emission tomography (PET). For this purpose, we aimed to label rhodamine-123 with carbon-11 (t 1/2 = 20.4 min) and to study its biodistribution in rodents. Methods: [ 11 C]Rhodamine-123 was prepared by treating rhodamine-110 (desmethyl-rhodamine-123) with [ 11 C]methyl iodide. The biodistribution of this radiotracer was studied with PET in wild-type mice and rats, in efflux transporter knockout mice, in wild-type rats pretreated with DCPQ (an inhibitor of P-gp) or with cimetidine (an inhibitor of organic cation transporters; OCT), and in P-gp knockout mice pretreated with cimetidine. Unchanged radiotracer in forebrain, plasma and peripheral tissues was also measured ex vivo at 30 min after radiotracer administration to wild-type and efflux transporter knockout rodents. Results: [ 11 C]Rhodamine-123 was obtained in 4.4% decay-corrected radiochemical yield from cyclotron-produced [ 11 C]carbon dioxide. After intravenous administration of [ 11 C]rhodamine-123 to wild-type rodents, PET and ex vivo measurements showed radioactivity uptake was very low in brain, but relatively high in some other organs such as heart, and especially liver and kidney. Inhibition of P-gp increased uptake in brain, heart, kidney and liver, but only by up to twofold. Secretion of radioactivity from kidney was markedly reduced by OCT knockout or pretreatment with cimetidine. Conclusions: [ 11 C]Rhodamine-123 was unpromising as a PET probe for P-gp function and appears to be a strong substrate of OCT in kidney. Cimetidine appears effective for blocking OCT in kidney in vivo.

  5. Prediction of proteasome cleavage motifs by neural networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kesimir, C.; Nussbaum, A.K.; Schild, H.

    2002-01-01

    physiological conditions. Our algorithm has been trained not only on in vitro data, but also on MHC Class I ligand data, which reflect a combination of immunoproteasome and constitutive proteasome specificity. This feature, together with the use of neural networks, a non-linear classification technique, make...... the prediction of MHC Class I ligand boundaries more accurate: 65% of the cleavage sites and 85% of the non-cleavage sites are correctly determined. Moreover, we show that the neural networks trained on the constitutive proteasome data learns a specificity that differs from that of the networks trained on MHC...

  6. Synthesis and antiproteasomal activity of novel O-benzyl salicylamide-based inhibitors built from leucine and phenylalanine

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Jorda, Radek; Dušek, J.; Řezníčková, Eva; Pauk, K.; Magar, P. P.; Imramovský, A.; Kryštof, Vladimír

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 135, JUL 28 (2017), s. 142-158 ISSN 0223-5234 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LO1204 Institutional support: RVO:61389030 Keywords : Apoptosis * Inhibitor * Proteasome * Salicylamide * Ubiquitin Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Biochemical research methods Impact factor: 4.519, year: 2016

  7. The 20S proteasome as an assembly platform for the 19S regulatory complex

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hendil, Klaus Aksel Bjørner; Kriegenburg, Franziska; Tanaka, Keiji

    2009-01-01

    26S proteasomes consist of cylindrical 20S proteasomes with 19S regulatory complexes attached to the ends. Treatment with high concentrations of salt causes the regulatory complexes to separate into two sub-complexes, the base, which is in contact with the 20S proteasome, and the lid, which...... is the distal part of the 19S complex. Here, we describe two assembly intermediates of the human regulatory complex. One is a dimer of the two ATPase subunits, Rpt3 and Rpt6. The other is a complex of nascent Rpn2, Rpn10, Rpn11, Rpn13, and Txnl1, attached to preexisting 20S proteasomes. This early assembly...... complex does not yet contain Rpn1 or any of the ATPase subunits of the base. Thus, assembly of 19S regulatory complexes takes place on preexisting 20S proteasomes, and part of the lid is assembled before the base....

  8. Focal dysfunction of the proteasome: a pathogenic factor in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabashi, Edor; Agar, Jeffrey N; Taylor, David M; Minotti, Sandra; Durham, Heather D

    2004-06-01

    Mutations in the Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) gene are responsible for a familial form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS). The present study demonstrated impaired proteasomal function in the lumbar spinal cord of transgenic mice expressing human SOD-1 with the ALS-causing mutation G93A (SOD-1(G93A)) compared to non-transgenic littermates (LM) and SOD-1(WT) transgenic mice. Chymotrypsin-like activity was decreased as early as 45 days of age. By 75 days, chymotrypsin-, trypsin-, and caspase-like activities of the proteasome were impaired, at about 50% of control activity in lumbar spinal cord, but unchanged in thoracic spinal cord and liver. Both total and specific activities of the proteasome were reduced to a similar extent, indicating that a change in proteasome function, rather than a decrease in proteasome levels, had occurred. Similar decreases of total and specific activities of the proteasome were observed in NIH 3T3 cell lines expressing fALS mutants SOD-1(G93A) and SOD-1(G41S), but not in SOD-1(WT) controls. Although overall levels of proteasome were maintained in spinal cord of SOD-1(G93A) transgenic mice, the level of 20S proteasome was substantially reduced in lumbar spinal motor neurons relative to the surrounding neuropil. It is concluded that impairment of the proteasome is an early event and contributes to ALS pathogenesis.

  9. A monoclonal antibody that distinguishes latent and active forms of the proteasome (multicatalytic proteinase complex)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weitman, D.; Etlinger, J. D.

    1992-01-01

    Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were generated to proteasome purified from human erythrocytes. Five of six proteasome-specific mAbs reacted with three subunits in the molecular mass range of 25-28 kDa, indicating a common epitope. The other mAb (AP5C10) exhibited a more restricted reactivity, recognizing a 32-kDa subunit of the proteasome purified in its latent state. However, when the proteasome is isolated in its active state, AP5C10 reacts with a 28-kDa subunit, evidence for processing of the proteasome subunits during purification. Purified proteasome preparations which exhibited partial latency have both AP5C10 reactive subunits. Although the 32-kDa subunit appears required for latency, loss of this component and generation of the 28-kDa component are not obligatory for activation. The 32- and 28-kDa subunits can each be further resolved into three components by isoelectric focusing. The apparent loss of 4 kDa during the conversion of the 32- to 28-kDa subunit is accompanied by a shift to a more basic pI for each polypeptide. Western blots of the early steps of proteasome purification reveal an AP5C10-reactive protein at 41 kDa. This protein was separated from proteasomes by sizing chromatography and may represent a pool of precursor subunits. Since the 32-kDa subunit appears necessary for latency, it is speculated to play a regulatory role in ATP-dependent proteolytic activity.

  10. Proteasome nuclear import mediated by Arc3 can influence efficient DNA damage repair and mitosis in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cabrera, Rodrigo; Sha, Zhe; Vadakkan, Tegy J.

    2010-01-01

    Proteasomes must remove regulatory molecules and abnormal proteins throughout the cell, but how proteasomes can do so efficiently remains unclear. We have isolated a subunit of the Arp2/3 complex, Arc3, which binds proteasomes. When overexpressed, Arc3 rescues phenotypes associated with proteasom...

  11. CCR 20th anniversary commentary: In the beginning, there was PS-341.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teicher, Beverly A; Anderson, Kenneth C

    2015-03-01

    Proteasome inhibitors have a 20-year history in cancer therapy. The first proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, a breakthrough treatment for multiple myeloma, moved rapidly through development from the bench in 1994 to first FDA approval in 2003. Clinical Cancer Research has chronicled the development of proteasome inhibitors with publication of reports on bortezomib, carfilzomib, and the oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib (MLN9708). ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  12. Urban resident attitudes toward rodents, rodent control products, and environmental effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodent control in urban areas can result in the inadvertent mortality of non-target species (e.g., bobcats). However, there is little detailed information about rodent control practices of urban residents. Our objective was to evaluate urban rodent control behaviors in two area...

  13. Conformational switching in the coiled-coil domains of a proteasomal ATPase regulates substrate processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snoberger, Aaron; Brettrager, Evan J; Smith, David M

    2018-06-18

    Protein degradation in all domains of life requires ATPases that unfold and inject proteins into compartmentalized proteolytic chambers. Proteasomal ATPases in eukaryotes and archaea contain poorly understood N-terminally conserved coiled-coil domains. In this study, we engineer disulfide crosslinks in the coiled-coils of the archaeal proteasomal ATPase (PAN) and report that its three identical coiled-coil domains can adopt three different conformations: (1) in-register and zipped, (2) in-register and partially unzipped, and (3) out-of-register. This conformational heterogeneity conflicts with PAN's symmetrical OB-coiled-coil crystal structure but resembles the conformational heterogeneity of the 26S proteasomal ATPases' coiled-coils. Furthermore, we find that one coiled-coil can be conformationally constrained even while unfolding substrates, and conformational changes in two of the coiled-coils regulate PAN switching between resting and active states. This switching functionally mimics similar states proposed for the 26S proteasome from cryo-EM. These findings thus build a mechanistic framework to understand regulation of proteasome activity.

  14. Expression and proteasomal degradation of the major vault protein (MVP) in mammalian oocytes and zygotes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutovsky, Peter; Manandhar, Gaurishankar; Laurincik, Jozef; Letko, Juraj; Caamaño, Jose Nestor; Day, Billy N; Lai, Liangxue; Prather, Randall S; Sharpe-Timms, Kathy L; Zimmer, Randall; Sutovsky, Miriam

    2005-03-01

    Major vault protein (MVP), also called lung resistance-related protein is a ribonucleoprotein comprising a major part (>70%) of the vault particle. The function of vault particle is not known, although it appears to be involved in multi-drug resistance and cellular signaling. Here we show that MVP is expressed in mammalian, porcine, and human ova and in the porcine preimplantation embryo. MVP was identified by matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) peptide sequencing and Western blotting as a protein accumulating in porcine zygotes cultured in the presence of specific proteasomal inhibitor MG132. MVP also accumulated in poor-quality human oocytes donated by infertile couples and porcine embryos that failed to develop normally after in vitro fertilization or somatic cell nuclear transfer. Normal porcine oocytes and embryos at various stages of preimplantation development showed mostly cytoplasmic labeling, with increased accumulation of vault particles around large cytoplasmic lipid inclusions and membrane vesicles. Occasionally, MVP was associated with the nuclear envelope and nucleolus precursor bodies. Nucleotide sequences with a high degree of homology to human MVP gene sequence were identified in porcine oocyte and endometrial cell cDNA libraries. We interpret these data as the evidence for the expression and ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent turnover of MVP in the mammalian ovum. Similar to carcinoma cells, MVP could fulfill a cell-protecting function during early embryonic development.

  15. Modulation of the Proteasome Pathway by Nano-Curcumin and Curcumin in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos de Carvalho, J Emanuel; Verwoert, Milan T; Vogels, Ilse M C; Schipper-Krom, Sabine; Van Noorden, Cornelis J F; Reits, Eric A; Klaassen, Ingeborg; Schlingemann, Reinier O

    2018-01-01

    Curcumin has multiple biological effects including the modulation of protein homeostasis by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro cytotoxic and oxidative effects of nano-curcumin and standard curcumin and characterize their effects on proteasome regulation in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Viability, cell cycle progression, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were determined after treatment with nano-curcumin or curcumin. Subsequently, the effects of nano-curcumin and curcumin on proteasome activity and the gene and protein expression of proteasome subunits PA28α, α7, β5, and β5i were assessed. Nano-curcumin (5-100 μM) did not show significant cytotoxicity or anti-oxidative effects against H2O2-induced oxidative stress, whereas curcumin (≥10 μM) was cytotoxic and a potent inducer of ROS production. Both nano-curcumin and curcumin induced changes in proteasome-mediated proteolytic activity characterized by increased activity of the proteasome subunits β2 and β5i/β1 and reduced activity of β5/β1i. Likewise, nano-curcumin and curcumin affected mRNA and protein levels of household and immunoproteasome subunits. Nano-curcumin is less toxic to RPE cells and less prone to induce ROS production than curcumin. Both nano-curcumin and curcumin increase proteasome-mediated proteolytic activity. These results suggest that nano-curcumin may be regarded as a proteasome-modulating agent of limited cytotoxicity for RPE cells. The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. Basic leucine zipper protein Cnc-C is a substrate and transcriptional regulator of the Drosophila 26S proteasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimberg, Kristian Björk; Beskow, Anne; Lundin, Daniel; Davis, Monica M; Young, Patrick

    2011-02-01

    While the 26S proteasome is a key proteolytic complex, little is known about how proteasome levels are maintained in higher eukaryotic cells. Here we describe an RNA interference (RNAi) screen of Drosophila melanogaster that was used to identify transcription factors that may play a role in maintaining levels of the 26S proteasome. We used an RNAi library against 993 Drosophila transcription factor genes to identify genes whose suppression in Schneider 2 cells stabilized a ubiquitin-green fluorescent protein reporter protein. This screen identified Cnc (cap 'n' collar [CNC]; basic region leucine zipper) as a candidate transcriptional regulator of proteasome component expression. In fact, 20S proteasome activity was reduced in cells depleted of cnc. Immunoblot assays against proteasome components revealed a general decline in both 19S regulatory complex and 20S proteasome subunits after RNAi depletion of this transcription factor. Transcript-specific silencing revealed that the longest of the seven transcripts for the cnc gene, cnc-C, was needed for proteasome and p97 ATPase production. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR confirmed the role of Cnc-C in activation of transcription of genes encoding proteasome components. Expression of a V5-His-tagged form of Cnc-C revealed that the transcription factor is itself a proteasome substrate that is stabilized when the proteasome is inhibited. We propose that this single cnc gene in Drosophila resembles the ancestral gene family of mammalian nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related transcription factors, which are essential in regulating oxidative stress and proteolysis.

  17. Proteomics of the 26S proteasome in Spodoptera frugiperda cells infected with the nucleopolyhedrovirus, AcMNPV.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lyupina, Yulia V; Zatsepina, Olga G; Serebryakova, Marina V; Erokhov, Pavel A; Abaturova, Svetlana B; Kravchuk, Oksana I; Orlova, Olga V; Beljelarskaya, Svetlana N; Lavrov, Andrey I; Sokolova, Olga S; Mikhailov, Victor S

    2016-06-01

    Baculoviruses are large DNA viruses that infect insect species such as Lepidoptera and are used in biotechnology for protein production and in agriculture as insecticides against crop pests. Baculoviruses require activity of host proteasomes for efficient reproduction, but how they control the cellular proteome and interact with the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) of infected cells remains unknown. In this report, we analyzed possible changes in the subunit composition of 26S proteasomes of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9), cells in the course of infection with the Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV). 26S proteasomes were purified from Sf9 cells by an immune affinity method and subjected to 2D gel electrophoresis followed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and Mascot search in bioinformatics databases. A total of 34 homologues of 26S proteasome subunits of eukaryotic species were identified including 14 subunits of the 20S core particle (7 α and 7 β subunits) and 20 subunits of the 19S regulatory particle (RP). The RP contained homologues of 11 of RPN-type and 6 of RPT-type subunits, 2 deubiquitinating enzymes (UCH-14/UBP6 and UCH-L5/UCH37), and thioredoxin. Similar 2D-gel maps of 26S proteasomes purified from uninfected and AcMNPV-infected cells at 48hpi confirmed the structural integrity of the 26S proteasome in insect cells during baculovirus infection. However, subtle changes in minor forms of some proteasome subunits were detected. A portion of the α5(zeta) cellular pool that presumably was not associated with the proteasome underwent partial proteolysis at a late stage in infection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Poly-Ub-substrate-degradative activity of 26S proteasome is not impaired in the aging rat brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolin Giannini

    Full Text Available Proteostasis is critical for the maintenance of life. In neuronal cells an imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases during aging. Partly, this seems to be due to a decrease in the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, wherein the 20S/26S proteasome complexes catalyse the proteolytic step. We have characterised 20S and 26S proteasomes from cerebrum, cerebellum and hippocampus of 3 weeks old (young and 24 month old (aged rats. Our data reveal that the absolute amount of the proteasome is not dfferent between both age groups. Within the majority of standard proteasomes in brain the minute amounts of immuno-subunits are slightly increased in aged rat brain. While this goes along with a decrease in the activities of 20S and 26S proteasomes to hydrolyse synthetic fluorogenic tripeptide substrates from young to aged rats, the capacity of 26S proteasomes for degradation of poly-Ub-model substrates and its activation by poly-Ub-substrates is not impaired or even slightly increased in brain of aged rats. We conclude that these alterations in proteasome properties are important for maintaining proteostasis in the brain during an uncomplicated aging process.

  19. Structural and functional characterization of Rpn12 identifies residues required for Rpn10 proteasome incorporation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boehringer, Jonas; Riedinger, Christiane; Paraskevopoulos, Konstantinos; Johnson, Eachan O D; Lowe, Edward D; Khoudian, Christina; Smith, Dominique; Noble, Martin E M; Gordon, Colin; Endicott, Jane A

    2012-11-15

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system targets selected proteins for degradation by the 26S proteasome. Rpn12 is an essential component of the 19S regulatory particle and plays a role in recruiting the extrinsic ubiquitin receptor Rpn10. In the present paper we report the crystal structure of Rpn12, a proteasomal PCI-domain-containing protein. The structure helps to define a core structural motif for the PCI domain and identifies potential sites through which Rpn12 might form protein-protein interactions. We demonstrate that mutating residues at one of these sites impairs Rpn12 binding to Rpn10 in vitro and reduces Rpn10 incorporation into proteasomes in vivo.

  20. Computational analysis and modeling of cleavage by the immunoproteasome and the constitutive proteasome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lafuente Esther M

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Proteasomes play a central role in the major histocompatibility class I (MHCI antigen processing pathway. They conduct the proteolytic degradation of proteins in the cytosol, generating the C-terminus of CD8 T cell epitopes and MHCI-peptide ligands (P1 residue of cleavage site. There are two types of proteasomes, the constitutive form, expressed in most cell types, and the immunoproteasome, which is constitutively expressed in mature dendritic cells. Protective CD8 T cell epitopes are likely generated by the immunoproteasome and the constitutive proteasome, and here we have modeled and analyzed the cleavage by these two proteases. Results We have modeled the immunoproteasome and proteasome cleavage sites upon two non-overlapping sets of peptides consisting of 553 CD8 T cell epitopes, naturally processed and restricted by human MHCI molecules, and 382 peptides eluted from human MHCI molecules, respectively, using N-grams. Cleavage models were generated considering different epitope and MHCI-eluted fragment lengths and the same number of C-terminal flanking residues. Models were evaluated in 5-fold cross-validation. Judging by the Mathew's Correlation Coefficient (MCC, optimal cleavage models for the proteasome (MCC = 0.43 ± 0.07 and the immunoproteasome (MCC = 0.36 ± 0.06 were obtained from 12-residue peptide fragments. Using an independent dataset consisting of 137 HIV1-specific CD8 T cell epitopes, the immunoproteasome and proteasome cleavage models achieved MCC values of 0.30 and 0.18, respectively, comparatively better than those achieved by related methods. Using ROC analyses, we have also shown that, combined with MHCI-peptide binding predictions, cleavage predictions by the immunoproteasome and proteasome models significantly increase the discovery rate of CD8 T cell epitopes restricted by different MHCI molecules, including A*0201, A*0301, A*2402, B*0702, B*2705. Conclusions We have developed models that are specific

  1. Interaction of the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome and proteasome protein complexes with multiubiquitin chain-binding proteins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Seeger, Michael; Hartmann-Petersen, Rasmus; Wilkinson, Caroline R M

    2003-01-01

    Fission yeast Rhp23 and Pus1 represent two families of multiubiquitin chain-binding proteins that associate with the proteasome. We show that both proteins bind to different regions of the proteasome subunit Mts4. The binding site for Pus1 was mapped to a cluster of repetitive sequences also found...... in the proteasome subunit SpRpn2 and the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) subunit Cut4. The putative role of Pus1 as a factor involved in allocation of ubiquitinylated substrates for the proteasome is discussed....

  2. Analysis of the Protein Kinase A-Regulated Proteome of Cryptococcus neoformans Identifies a Role for the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway in Capsule Formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. M. H. Geddes

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningitis in immunocompromised individuals. The expression of virulence factors, including capsule and melanin, is in part regulated by the cyclic-AMP/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA signal transduction pathway. In this study, we investigated the influence of PKA on the composition of the intracellular proteome to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the regulation that underpins virulence. Through quantitative proteomics, enrichment and bioinformatic analyses, and an interactome study, we uncovered a pattern of PKA regulation for proteins associated with translation, the proteasome, metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and virulence-related functions. PKA regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in C. neoformans showed a striking parallel with connections between PKA and protein degradation in chronic neurodegenerative disorders and other human diseases. Further investigation of proteasome function with the inhibitor bortezomib revealed an impact on capsule production as well as hypersusceptibility for strains with altered expression or activity of PKA. Parallel studies with tunicamycin also linked endoplasmic reticulum stress with capsule production and PKA. Taken together, the data suggest a model whereby expression of PKA regulatory and catalytic subunits and the activation of PKA influence proteostasis and the function of the endoplasmic reticulum to control the elaboration of the polysaccharide capsule. Overall, this study revealed both broad and conserved influences of the cAMP/PKA pathway on the proteome and identified proteostasis as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cryptococcosis.

  3. Novel targeted therapeutics: inhibitors of MDM2, ALK and PARP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsueh Chung-Tsen

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract We reviewed preclinical data and clinical development of MDM2 (murine double minute 2, ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase and PARP (poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase inhibitors. MDM2 binds to p53, and promotes degradation of p53 through ubiquitin-proteasome degradation. JNJ-26854165 and RO5045337 are 2 small-molecule inhibitors of MDM2 in clinical development. ALK is a transmembrane protein and a member of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinases. EML4-ALK fusion gene is identified in approximately 3-13% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. Early-phase clinical studies with Crizotinib, an ALK inhibitor, in NSCLC harboring EML4-ALK have demonstrated promising activity with high response rate and prolonged progression-free survival. PARPs are a family of nuclear enzymes that regulates the repair of DNA single-strand breaks through the base excision repair pathway. Randomized phase II study has shown adding PARP-1 inhibitor BSI-201 to cytotoxic chemotherapy improves clinical outcome in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Olaparib, another oral small-molecule PARP inhibitor, demonstrated encouraging single-agent activity in patients with advanced breast or ovarian cancer. There are 5 other PARP inhibitors currently under active clinical investigation.

  4. Correction of metabolic abnormalities in a rodent model of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus by inhibitors of hepatic protein kinase C-ι

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajan, Mini P.; Nimal, Sonali; Mastorides, Stephen; Acevedo-Duncan, Mildred; Kahn, C. Ronald; Fields, Alan P.; Braun, Ursula; Leitges, Michael; Farese, Robert V.

    2013-01-01

    Excessive activity of hepatic atypical protein kinase (aPKC) is proposed to play a critical role in mediating lipid and carbohydrate abnormalities in obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. In previous studies of rodent models of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, adenoviral-mediated expression of kinase-inactive aPKC rapidly reversed or markedly improved most if not all metabolic abnormalities. Here, we examined effects of 2 newly developed small-molecule PKC-ι/λ inhibitors. We used the mouse model of heterozygous muscle-specific knockout of PKC-λ, in which partial deficiency of muscle PKC-λ impairs glucose transport in muscle and thereby causes glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinemia, which, via hepatic aPKC activation, leads to abdominal obesity, hepatosteatosis, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercholesterolemia. One inhibitor, 1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide, 5-amino-1-[2,3-dihydroxy-4-[(phosphonooxy)methyl]cyclopentyl-[1R-(1a,2b,3b,4a)], binds to the substrate-binding site of PKC-λ/ι, but not other PKCs. The other inhibitor, aurothiomalate, binds to cysteine residues in the PBl-binding domains of aPKC-λ/ι/ζ and inhibits scaffolding. Treatment with either inhibitor for 7 days inhibited aPKC, but not Akt, in liver and concomitantly improved insulin signaling to Akt and aPKC in muscle and adipocytes. Moreover, both inhibitors diminished excessive expression of hepatic, aPKC-dependent lipogenic, proinflammatory, and gluconeogenic factors; and this was accompanied by reversal or marked improvements in hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, abdominal obesity, hepatosteatosis, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypercholesterolemia. Our findings highlight the pathogenetic importance of insulin signaling to hepatic PKC-ι in obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes mellitus and suggest that 1H-imidazole-4-carboxamide, 5-amino-1-[2,3-dihydroxy-4-[(phosphonooxy)methyl]cyclopentyl-[1R-(1a,2b,3b,4a)] and aurothiomalate or similar agents that

  5. FOXOs modulate proteasome activity in human-induced pluripotent stem cells of Huntington's disease and their derived neural cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yanying; Qiao, Fangfang; Leiferman, Patricia C; Ross, Alan; Schlenker, Evelyn H; Wang, Hongmin

    2017-11-15

    Although it has been speculated that proteasome dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease (HD), a devastating neurodegenerative disorder, how proteasome activity is regulated in HD affected stem cells and somatic cells remains largely unclear. To better understand the pathogenesis of HD, we analyzed proteasome activity and the expression of FOXO transcription factors in three wild-type (WT) and three HD induced-pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines. HD iPSCs exhibited elevated proteasome activity and higher levels of FOXO1 and FOXO4 proteins. Knockdown of FOXO4 but not FOXO1 expression decreased proteasome activity. Following neural differentiation, the HD-iPSC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) demonstrated lower levels of proteasome activity and FOXO expressions than their WT counterparts. More importantly, overexpression of FOXO4 but not FOXO1 in HD NPCs dramatically enhanced proteasome activity. When HD NPCs were further differentiated into DARPP32-positive neurons, these HD neurons were more susceptible to death than WT neurons and formed Htt aggregates under the condition of oxidative stress. Similar to HD NPCs, HD-iPSC-derived neurons showed reduced proteasome activity and diminished FOXO4 expression compared to WT-iPSC-derived neurons. Furthermore, HD iPSCs had lower AKT activities than WT iPSCs, whereas the neurons derived from HD iPSC had higher AKT activities than their WT counterparts. Inhibiting AKT activity increased both FOXO4 level and proteasome activity, indicating a potential role of AKT in regulating FOXO levels. These data suggest that FOXOs modulate proteasome activity, and thus represents a potentially valuable therapeutic target for HD. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Antiatherogenic effect of quercetin is mediated by proteasome inhibition in the aorta and circulating leukocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pashevin, Denis A; Tumanovska, Lesya V; Dosenko, Victor E; Nagibin, Vasyl S; Gurianova, Veronika L; Moibenko, Alexey A

    2011-01-01

    Quercetin, a plant-derived flavonoid, has attracted considerable attention as promising compound for heart disease prevention and therapy. It has been linked to decreased mortality from heart disease and decreased incidence of stroke. Here, we report new data showing the angioprotective properties of quercetin mediated by its effect on proteasomal proteolysis. This study was designed to investigate the ability of quercetin to modulate proteasomal activity in a rabbit model of cholesterol-induced atherosclerosis. First, we show proteasomal trypsin-like (TL) activity increased up to 2.4-fold, chymotrypsin-like (CTL) activity increased by up to 43% and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide-hydrolyzing (PGPH) activity increased by up to 10% after 8 weeks of a cholesterol-rich diet. A single intravenous injection of the water-soluble form of quercetin (Corvitin) significantly decreased proteasomal TL activity 1.85-fold in monocytes, and decreased the CTL and PGPH activities more than 2-fold in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) after 2 h. Prolonged administration (1 month) of Corvitin to animals following a cholesterol-rich diet significantly decreased all types of proteolytic proteasome activities both in tissues and in circulating leukocytes and was associated with the reduction of atherosclerotic lesion areas in the aorta. Additionally, the pharmacological form of quercetin (Quertin) was shown to have an antiatherogenic effect and an ability to inhibit proteasome activities.

  7. BCL11B is frequently downregulated in HTLV-1-infected T-cells through Tax-mediated proteasomal degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Permatasari, Happy Kurnia; Nakahata, Shingo; Ichikawa, Tomonaga; Morishita, Kazuhiro

    2017-08-26

    Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL). The HTLV-1-encoded protein Tax plays important roles in the proliferation of HTLV-1-infected T-cells by affecting cellular proteins. In this study, we showed that Tax transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally downregulates the expression of the tumor suppressor gene B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 11B (BCL11B), which encodes a lymphoid-related transcription factor. BCL11B expression was downregulated in HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines at the mRNA and protein levels, and forced expression of BCL11B suppressed the proliferation of these cells. The proteasomal inhibitor MG132 increased BCL11B expression in HTLV-1-infected cell lines, and colocalization of Tax with BCL11B was detected in the cytoplasm of HTLV-1-infected T-cells following MG132 treatment. shRNA knock-down of Tax expression also increased the expression of BCL11B in HTLV-1-infected cells. Moreover, we found that Tax physically binds to BCL11B protein and induces the polyubiquitination of BCL11B and proteasome-dependent degradation of BCL11B. Thus, inactivation of BCL11B by Tax protein may play an important role in the Tax-mediated leukemogenesis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The ubiquitin-proteasome system and chromosome 17 in cerebellar granule cells and medulloblastoma subgroups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vriend, Jerry; Marzban, Hassan

    2017-02-01

    Chromosome 17 abnormalities are often observed in medulloblastomas (MBs), particularly those classified in the consensus Groups 3 and 4. Herein we review MB signature genes associated with chromosome 17 and the relationship of these signature genes to the ubiquitin-proteasome system. While clinical investigators have not focused on the ubiquitin-proteasome system in relation to MB, a substantial amount of data on the topic has been hidden in the form of supplemental datasets of gene expression. A supplemental dataset associated with the Thompson classification of MBs shows that a subgroup of MB with 17p deletions is characterized by reduced expression of genes for several core particle subunits of the beta ring of the proteasome (β1, β4, β5, β7). One of these genes (PSMB6, the gene for the β1 subunit) is located on chromosome 17, near the telomeric end of 17p. By comparison, in the WNT group of MBs only one core proteasome subunit, β6, associated with loss of a gene (PSMB1) on chromosome 6, was down-regulated in this dataset. The MB subgroups with the worst prognosis have a significant association with chromosome 17 abnormalities and irregularities of APC/C cyclosome genes. We conclude that the expression of proteasome subunit genes and genes for ubiquitin ligases can contribute to prognostic classification of MBs. The therapeutic value of targeting proteasome subunits and ubiquitin ligases in the various subgroups of MB remains to be determined separately for each classification of MB.

  9. Modulation of apoptosis sensitivity through the interplay with autophagic and proteasomal degradation pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delgado, M E; Dyck, L; Laussmann, M A; Rehm, M

    2014-01-01

    Autophagic and proteasomal degradation constitute the major cellular proteolysis pathways. Their physiological and pathophysiological adaptation and perturbation modulates the relative abundance of apoptosis-transducing proteins and thereby can positively or negatively adjust cell death susceptibility. In addition to balancing protein expression amounts, components of the autophagic and proteasomal degradation machineries directly interact with and co-regulate apoptosis signal transduction. The influence of autophagic and proteasomal activity on apoptosis susceptibility is now rapidly gaining more attention as a significant modulator of cell death signalling in the context of human health and disease. Here we present a concise and critical overview of the latest knowledge on the molecular interplay between apoptosis signalling, autophagy and proteasomal protein degradation. We highlight that these three pathways constitute an intricate signalling triangle that can govern and modulate cell fate decisions between death and survival. Owing to rapid research progress in recent years, it is now possible to provide detailed insight into the mechanisms of pathway crosstalk, common signalling nodes and the role of multi-functional proteins in co-regulating both protein degradation and cell death. PMID:24457955

  10. Proteasome activity is important for replication recovery, CHK1 phosphorylation and prevention of G2 arrest after low-dose formaldehyde

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ortega-Atienza, Sara; Green, Samantha E.; Zhitkovich, Anatoly, E-mail: anatoly_zhitkovich@brown.edu

    2015-07-15

    Formaldehyde (FA) is a human carcinogen with numerous sources of environmental and occupational exposures. This reactive aldehyde is also produced endogenously during metabolism of drugs and other processes. DNA–protein crosslinks (DPCs) are considered to be the main genotoxic lesions for FA. Accumulating evidence suggests that DPC repair in high eukaryotes involves proteolysis of crosslinked proteins. Here, we examined a role of the main cellular proteolytic machinery proteasomes in toxic responses of human lung cells to low FA doses. We found that transient inhibition of proteasome activity increased cytotoxicity and diminished clonogenic viability of FA-treated cells. Proteasome inactivation exacerbated suppressive effects of FA on DNA replication and increased the levels of the genotoxic stress marker γ-H2AX in normal human cells. A transient loss of proteasome activity in FA-exposed cells also caused delayed perturbations of cell cycle, which included G2 arrest and a depletion of S-phase populations at FA doses that had no effects in control cells. Proteasome activity diminished p53-Ser15 phosphorylation but was important for FA-induced CHK1 phosphorylation, which is a biochemical marker of DPC proteolysis in replicating cells. Unlike FA, proteasome inhibition had no effect on cell survival and CHK1 phosphorylation by the non-DPC replication stressor hydroxyurea. Overall, we obtained evidence for the importance of proteasomes in protection of human cells against biologically relevant doses of FA. Biochemically, our findings indicate the involvement of proteasomes in proteolytic repair of DPC, which removes replication blockage by these highly bulky lesions. - Highlights: • Proteasome inhibition enhances cytotoxicity of low-dose FA in human lung cells. • Active proteasomes diminish replication-inhibiting effects of FA. • Proteasome activity prevents delayed G2 arrest in FA-treated cells. • Proteasome inhibition exacerbates replication stress by FA in

  11. The putative roles of the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway in resistance to anticancer therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Laura; Lind, Michael J; Drew, Philip J; Cawkwell, Lynn

    2007-11-01

    The ubiquitin/proteasome (UP) pathway plays a significant role in many important biological functions and alterations in this pathway have been shown to contribute to the pathology of many human diseases, including cancer. Proteasome inhibition has been well established as a rational strategy for the treatment of multiple myeloma and is currently under investigation for the treatment of other haematological malignancies and solid tumours. Recent evidence suggests that proteasome inhibition may also sensitise tumour cells to the actions of both conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy, suggesting that this pathway may modify clinical response to anticancer therapy. However, conflicting evidence exists as to the roles of the UP pathway in resistance to treatment. This review endeavours to discuss such roles.

  12. AAV-Mediated Gene Targeting Is Significantly Enhanced by Transient Inhibition of Nonhomologous End Joining or the Proteasome In Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulk, Nicole K.; Loza, Laura Marquez; Finegold, Milton J.

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors have clear potential for use in gene targeting but low correction efficiencies remain the primary drawback. One approach to enhancing efficiency is a block of undesired repair pathways like nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) to promote the use of homologous recombination. The natural product vanillin acts as a potent inhibitor of NHEJ by inhibiting DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). Using a homology containing rAAV vector, we previously demonstrated in vivo gene repair frequencies of up to 0.1% in a model of liver disease hereditary tyrosinemia type I. To increase targeting frequencies, we administered vanillin in combination with rAAV. Gene targeting frequencies increased up to 10-fold over AAV alone, approaching 1%. Fah−/−Ku70−/− double knockout mice also had increased gene repair frequencies, genetically confirming the beneficial effects of blocking NHEJ. A second strategy, transient proteasomal inhibition, also increased gene-targeting frequencies but was not additive to NHEJ inhibition. This study establishes the benefit of transient NHEJ inhibition with vanillin, or proteasome blockage with bortezomib, for increasing hepatic gene targeting with rAAV. Functional metabolic correction of a clinically relevant disease model was demonstrated and provided evidence for the feasibility of gene targeting as a therapeutic strategy. PMID:22486314

  13. CRM1-mediated nuclear export is required for 26 S proteasome-dependent degradation of the TRIP-Br2 proto-oncoprotein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheong, Jit Kong; Gunaratnam, Lakshman; Hsu, Stephen I-Hong

    2008-04-25

    Overexpression of the proto-oncogene TRIP-Br2 (SERTAD2) has been shown to induce E2F activity and promote tumorigenesis, whereas ablation of TRIP-Br2 arrests cell proliferation. Timely degradation of many cell cycle regulators is fundamental to the maintenance of proper cell cycle progression. Here we report novel mechanism(s) that govern the tight regulation of TRIP-Br2 levels during cell cycle progression. TRIP-Br2 was observed to be a short-lived protein in which the expression level peaks at the G(1)/S boundary. TRIP-Br2 accumulated in cells treated with 26 S proteasome inhibitors. Co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that TRIP-Br2 forms ubiquitin conjugates. In silico analysis identified a putative leucine-rich nuclear export signal (NES) motif that overlaps with the PHD-Bromo interaction domain in the acidic C-terminal transactivation domain (TAD) of TRIP-Br2. This NES motif is highly conserved in widely divergent species and in all TRIP-Br family members. TRIP-Br2 was shown to be stabilized in G(2)/M phase cells through nuclear entrapment, either by deletion of the acidic C-terminal TAD, which includes the NES motif, or by leptomycin B-mediated inhibition of the CRM1-dependent nuclear export machinery. Mutation of leucine residue 238 of this NES motif abolished the interaction between CRM1 and TRIP-Br2, as well as the nuclear export of TRIP-Br2 and its subsequent 26 S proteasome-dependent degradation. These data suggest that CRM1-mediated nuclear export may be required for the proper execution of ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent degradation of TRIP-Br2.

  14. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib induces testicular toxicity by upregulation of oxidative stress, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and deregulation of germ cell development in adult murine testis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Wei; Fu, Jianfang; Zhang, Shun; Zhao, Jie; Xie, Nianlin; Cai, Guoqing

    2015-01-01

    Understanding how chemotherapeutic agents mediate testicular toxicity is crucial in light of compelling evidence that male infertility, one of the severe late side effects of intensive cancer treatment, occurs more often than they are expected to. Previous study demonstrated that bortezomib (BTZ), a 26S proteasome inhibitor used to treat refractory multiple myeloma (MM), exerts deleterious impacts on spermatogenesis in pubertal mice via unknown mechanisms. Here, we showed that intermittent treatment with BTZ resulted in fertility impairment in adult mice, evidenced by testicular atrophy, desquamation of immature germ cells and reduced caudal sperm storage. These deleterious effects may originate from the elevated apoptosis in distinct germ cells during the acute phase and the subsequent disruption of Sertoli–germ cell anchoring junctions (AJs) during the late recovery. Mechanistically, balance between AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and Akt/ERK pathway appeared to be indispensable for AJ integrity during the late testicular recovery. Of particular interest, the upregulated testicular apoptosis and the following disturbance of Sertoli–germ cell interaction may both stem from the excessive oxidative stress elicited by BTZ exposure. We also provided the in vitro evidence that AMPK-dependent mechanisms counteract follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) proliferative effects in BTZ-exposed Sertoli cells. Collectively, BTZ appeared to efficiently prevent germ cells from normal development via multiple mechanisms in adult mice. Employment of antioxidants and/or AMPK inhibitor may represent an attractive strategy of fertility preservation in male MM patients exposed to conventional BTZ therapy and warrants further investigation. - Highlights: • Intermittent treatment with BTZ caused fertility impairment in adult mice. • BTZ treatment elicited apoptosis during early phase of testicular recovery. • Up-regulation of oxidative stress by BTZ treatment

  15. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib induces testicular toxicity by upregulation of oxidative stress, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and deregulation of germ cell development in adult murine testis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Wei [Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Fu, Jianfang [Department of Endocrinology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Zhang, Shun [Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710038 (China); Zhao, Jie [Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Xie, Nianlin, E-mail: xienianlin@126.com [Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710038 (China); Cai, Guoqing, E-mail: firstchair@fmmu.edu.cn [Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an 710032 (China)

    2015-06-01

    Understanding how chemotherapeutic agents mediate testicular toxicity is crucial in light of compelling evidence that male infertility, one of the severe late side effects of intensive cancer treatment, occurs more often than they are expected to. Previous study demonstrated that bortezomib (BTZ), a 26S proteasome inhibitor used to treat refractory multiple myeloma (MM), exerts deleterious impacts on spermatogenesis in pubertal mice via unknown mechanisms. Here, we showed that intermittent treatment with BTZ resulted in fertility impairment in adult mice, evidenced by testicular atrophy, desquamation of immature germ cells and reduced caudal sperm storage. These deleterious effects may originate from the elevated apoptosis in distinct germ cells during the acute phase and the subsequent disruption of Sertoli–germ cell anchoring junctions (AJs) during the late recovery. Mechanistically, balance between AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation and Akt/ERK pathway appeared to be indispensable for AJ integrity during the late testicular recovery. Of particular interest, the upregulated testicular apoptosis and the following disturbance of Sertoli–germ cell interaction may both stem from the excessive oxidative stress elicited by BTZ exposure. We also provided the in vitro evidence that AMPK-dependent mechanisms counteract follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) proliferative effects in BTZ-exposed Sertoli cells. Collectively, BTZ appeared to efficiently prevent germ cells from normal development via multiple mechanisms in adult mice. Employment of antioxidants and/or AMPK inhibitor may represent an attractive strategy of fertility preservation in male MM patients exposed to conventional BTZ therapy and warrants further investigation. - Highlights: • Intermittent treatment with BTZ caused fertility impairment in adult mice. • BTZ treatment elicited apoptosis during early phase of testicular recovery. • Up-regulation of oxidative stress by BTZ treatment

  16. The long N-terminus of the human monocarboxylate transporter 8 is a target of ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation which regulates protein expression and oligomerization capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zwanziger, Denise; Schmidt, Mathias; Fischer, Jana; Kleinau, Gunnar; Braun, Doreen; Schweizer, Ulrich; Moeller, Lars Christian; Biebermann, Heike; Fuehrer, Dagmar

    2016-10-15

    Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) equilibrates thyroid hormones between the extra- and the intracellular sides. MCT8 exists either with a short or a long N-terminus, but potential functional differences between both variants are yet not known. We, therefore, generated MCT8 constructs which are different in N-terminal length: MCT8(1-613), MCT8(25-613), MCT8(49-613) and MCT8(75-613). The M75G substitution prevents translation of MCT8(75-613) and ensures expression of full-length MCT8 protein. The K56G substitution was made to prevent ubiquitinylation. Cell-surface expression, localization and proteasomal degradation were investigated using C-terminally GFP-tagged MCT8 constructs (HEK293 and MDCK1 cells) and oligomerization capacity was determined using N-terminally HA- and C-terminally FLAG-tagged MCT8 constructs (COS7 cells). MCT8(1-613)-GFP showed a lower protein expression than the shorter MCT8(75-613)-GFP protein. The proteasome inhibitor lactacystin increased MCT8(1-613)-GFP protein amount, suggesting proteasomal degradation of MCT8 with the long N-terminus. Ubiquitin conjugation of MCT8(1-613)-GFP was found by immuno-precipitation. A diminished ubiquitin conjugation caused by K56G substitution resulted in increased MCT8(1-613)-GFP protein expression. Sandwich ELISA was performed to investigate if the bands at higher molecular weight observed in Western blot analysis are due to MCT8 oligomerization, which was indeed shown. Our data imply a role of the long N-terminus of MCT8 as target of ubiquitin-dependent proteasomal degradation affecting MCT8 amount and subsequently oligomerization capacity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Denervation-Induced Activation of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System Reduces Skeletal Muscle Quantity Not Quality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumann, Cory W; Liu, Haiming M; Thompson, LaDora V

    2016-01-01

    It is well known that the ubiquitin-proteasome system is activated in response to skeletal muscle wasting and functions to degrade contractile proteins. The loss of these proteins inevitably reduces skeletal muscle size (i.e., quantity). However, it is currently unknown whether activation of this pathway also affects function by impairing the muscle's intrinsic ability to produce force (i.e., quality). Therefore, the purpose of this study was twofold, (1) document how the ubiquitin-proteasome system responds to denervation and (2) identify the physiological consequences of these changes. To induce soleus muscle atrophy, C57BL6 mice underwent tibial nerve transection of the left hindlimb for 7 or 14 days (n = 6-8 per group). At these time points, content of several proteins within the ubiquitin-proteasome system were determined via Western blot, while ex vivo whole muscle contractility was specifically analyzed at day 14. Denervation temporarily increased several key proteins within the ubiquitin-proteasome system, including the E3 ligase MuRF1 and the proteasome subunits 19S, α7 and β5. These changes were accompanied by reductions in absolute peak force and power, which were offset when expressed relative to physiological cross-sectional area. Contrary to peak force, absolute and relative forces at submaximal stimulation frequencies were significantly greater following 14 days of denervation. Taken together, these data represent two keys findings. First, activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system is associated with reductions in skeletal muscle quantity rather than quality. Second, shortly after denervation, it appears the muscle remodels to compensate for the loss of neural activity via changes in Ca2+ handling.

  18. Paraquat, but not maneb, induces synucleinopathy and tauopathy in striata of mice through inhibition of proteasomal and autophagic pathways.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan Wills

    Full Text Available SNCA and MAPT genes and environmental factors are important risk factors of Parkinson's disease [PD], the second-most common neurodegenerative disease. The agrichemicals maneb and paraquat selectively target dopaminergic neurons, leading to parkinsonism, through ill-defined mechanisms. In the current studies we have analyzed the ability of maneb and paraquat, separately and together, to induce synucleinopathy and tauopathy in wild type mice. Maneb was ineffective in increasing α-synuclein [α-Syn] or p-Tau levels. By contrast, paraquat treatment of mice resulted in robust accumulation of α-Syn and hyperphosphorylation of Tau in striata, through activation of p-GSK-3β, a major Tau kinase. Co-treatment with maneb did not enhance the effects of paraquat. Increased hyperacetylation of α-tubulin was observed in paraquat-treated mice, suggesting cytoskeleton remodeling. Paraquat, but not maneb, inhibited soluble proteasomal activity on a peptide substrate but this was not associated with a decreased expression of 26S proteasome subunits. Both paraquat and maneb treatments increased levels of the autophagy inhibitor, mammalian target of rapamycin, mTOR, suggesting impaired axonal autophagy, despite increases in certain autophagic proteins, such as beclin 1 and Agt12. Autophagic flux was also impaired, as ratios of LC3 II to LC3 I were reduced in treated animals. Increased mTOR was also observed in postmortem human PD striata, where there was a reduction in the LC3 II to LC3 I ratio. Heat shock proteins were either increased or unchanged upon paraquat-treatment suggesting that chaperone-mediated autophagy is not hampered by the agrichemicals. These studies provide novel insight into the mechanisms of action of these agrichemicals, which indicate that paraquat is much more toxic than maneb, via its inhibitory effects on proteasomes and autophagy, which lead to accumulation of α-Syn and p-Tau.

  19. Inhibition effect of proteasome inhibitor MG132 combined with X-ray irradiation on cell growth, metastasis and cycle distribution of human lung adenocarcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Jing; Tang Yiting; Zhou Jundong; Zhang Shuyu; Cao Han; Wu Jinchang; Luo Judong; Chen Guanglie; Cao Jianping

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To study the effects of proteasome inhibitor MG132 on the growth, metastasis, and cell cycle distribution of human lung adenocarcinoma cells A549 irradiated by X-rays. Methods: After treatment of MG132 and irradiation,cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Survival was measured by clonogenic assay. Cell migration ability was detected by the Scratch migration assay. Cell invasion ability was detected by transwell migration assay. Cell cycle distribution were analyzed by flow cytometry assay. Protein expression was detected by Western blot assay. Results: MG132 alone inhibited cell growth in a dose-and time-dependent manner. MG132 in combination with radiation significantly suppressed the growth, migration and invasion of A549 cells compared to the control (F =554.78, 954.64, P<0.01). MG132 enhanced radiation-induced G 1 -arrest (t =4.44, 12.41, 3.52, 6.72, P<0.05). The G 1 cell cycle distribution rate of MG132 plus RT group was increased to (71.05 ± 4.17)%. The expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9 and Cyclin D1 were significantly suppressed by MG132 in combination with radiation, while the expression of P53 was up-regulated. Conclusions: MG132 inhibits cell growth, migration and invasion ability, and induces G 1 cell cycle arrest of A549 cells treated with MG132 in combination with radiation, in which the down-regulation of MMPs and Cyclin D1 and up-regulation of P53 may be involved. (authors)

  20. Regulators of the proteasome pathway, Uch37 and Rpn13, play distinct roles in mouse development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amin Al-Shami

    Full Text Available Rpn13 is a novel mammalian proteasomal receptor that has recently been identified as an amplification target in ovarian cancer. It can interact with ubiquitin and activate the deubiquitinating enzyme Uch37 at the 26S proteasome. Since neither Rpn13 nor Uch37 is an integral proteasomal subunit, we explored whether either protein is essential for mammalian development and survival. Deletion of Uch37 resulted in prenatal lethality in mice associated with severe defect in embryonic brain development. In contrast, the majority of Rpn13-deficient mice survived to adulthood, although they were smaller at birth and fewer in number than wild-type littermates. Absence of Rpn13 produced tissue-specific effects on proteasomal function: increased proteasome activity in adrenal gland and lymphoid organs, and decreased activity in testes and brain. Adult Rpn13(-/- mice reached normal body weight but had increased body fat content and were infertile due to defective gametogenesis. Additionally, Rpn13(-/- mice showed increased T-cell numbers, resembling growth hormone-mediated effects. Indeed, serum growth hormone and follicular stimulating hormone levels were significantly increased in Rpn13(-/- mice, while growth hormone receptor expression was reduced in the testes. In conclusion, this is the first report characterizing the physiological roles of Uch37 and Rpn13 in murine development and implicating a non-ATPase proteasomal protein, Rpn13, in the process of gametogenesis.

  1. Modulation of the Proteasome Pathway by Nano-Curcumin and Curcumin in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramos de Carvalho, J. Emanuel; Verwoert, Milan T.; Vogels, Ilse M. C.; Schipper-Krom, Sabine; van Noorden, Cornelis J. F.; Reits, Eric A.; Klaassen, Ingeborg; Schlingemann, Reinier O.

    2018-01-01

    Curcumin has multiple biological effects including the modulation of protein homeostasis by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. The purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro cytotoxic and oxidative effects of nano-curcumin and standard curcumin and characterize their effects on proteasome

  2. Insulin alleviates degradation of skeletal muscle protein by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system in septic rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Qiyi; Li, Ning; Zhu, Weiming; Li, Weiqin; Tang, Shaoqiu; Yu, Wenkui; Gao, Tao; Zhang, Juanjuan; Li, Jieshou

    2011-06-03

    Hypercatabolism is common under septic conditions. Skeletal muscle is the main target organ for hypercatabolism, and this phenomenon is a vital factor in the deterioration of recovery in septic patients. In skeletal muscle, activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system plays an important role in hypercatabolism under septic status. Insulin is a vital anticatabolic hormone and previous evidence suggests that insulin administration inhibits various steps in the ubiquitin-proteasome system. However, whether insulin can alleviate the degradation of skeletal muscle protein by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system under septic condition is unclear. This paper confirmed that mRNA and protein levels of the ubiquitin-proteasome system were upregulated and molecular markers of skeletal muscle proteolysis (tyrosine and 3-methylhistidine) simultaneously increased in the skeletal muscle of septic rats. Septic rats were infused with insulin at a constant rate of 2.4 mU.kg-1.min-1 for 8 hours. Concentrations of mRNA and proteins of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and molecular markers of skeletal muscle proteolysis were mildly affected. When the insulin infusion dose increased to 4.8 mU.kg-1.min-1, mRNA for ubiquitin, E2-14 KDa, and the C2 subunit were all sharply downregulated. At the same time, the levels of ubiquitinated proteins, E2-14KDa, and the C2 subunit protein were significantly reduced. Tyrosine and 3-methylhistidine decreased significantly. We concluded that the ubiquitin-proteasome system is important skeletal muscle hypercatabolism in septic rats. Infusion of insulin can reverse the detrimental metabolism of skeletal muscle by inhibiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and the effect is proportional to the insulin infusion dose.

  3. Structural analysis of the 26S proteasome by cryoelectron tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nickell, Stephan; Mihalache, Oana; Beck, Florian; Hegerl, Reiner; Korinek, Andreas; Baumeister, Wolfgang

    2007-01-01

    The 26S proteasome is the key enzyme of intracellular protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. It is a multisubunit complex of 2.5 MDa confining the proteolytic action to an inner compartment with tightly controlled access. Structural studies of this intriguing molecular machine have been hampered by its intrinsic instability and its dynamics. Here we have used an unconventional approach to obtain a three-dimensional structure of the holocomplex uncompromised by preparation-induced alterations and unbiased by any starting model. We have performed a tomographic reconstruction, followed by averaging over approx. 150 individual reconstructions, of Drosophila 26S proteasomes suspended in a thin layer of amorphous ice

  4. Does inactivation of USP14 enhance degradation of proteasomal substrates that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases? [version 1; referees: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Ortuno

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available A common pathological hallmark of age-related neurodegenerative diseases is the intracellular accumulation of protein aggregates such as α-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease, TDP-43 in ALS, and tau in Alzheimer’s disease. Enhancing intracellular clearance of aggregation-prone proteins is a plausible strategy for slowing progression of neurodegenerative diseases and there is great interest in identifying molecular targets that control protein turnover. One of the main routes for protein degradation is through the proteasome, a multisubunit protease that degrades proteins that have been tagged with a polyubiquitin chain by ubiquitin activating and conjugating enzymes. Published data from cellular models indicate that Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14, a deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB, slows the degradation of tau and TDP-43 by the proteasome and that an inhibitor of USP14 increases the degradation of these substrates. We conducted similar experiments designed to evaluate tau, TDP-43, or α-synuclein levels in cells after overexpressing USP14 or knocking down endogenous expression by siRNA.

  5. Does inactivation of USP14 enhance degradation of proteasomal substrates that are associated with neurodegenerative diseases? [version 2; referees: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Ortuno

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available A common pathological hallmark of age-related neurodegenerative diseases is the intracellular accumulation of protein aggregates such as α-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease, TDP-43 in ALS, and tau in Alzheimer’s disease. Enhancing intracellular clearance of aggregation-prone proteins is a plausible strategy for slowing progression of neurodegenerative diseases and there is great interest in identifying molecular targets that control protein turnover. One of the main routes for protein degradation is through the proteasome, a multisubunit protease that degrades proteins that have been tagged with a polyubiquitin chain by ubiquitin activating and conjugating enzymes. Published data from cellular models indicate that Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14, a deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB, slows the degradation of tau and TDP-43 by the proteasome and that an inhibitor of USP14 increases the degradation of these substrates. We conducted similar experiments designed to evaluate tau, TDP-43, or α-synuclein levels in cells after overexpressing USP14 or knocking down endogenous expression by siRNA.

  6. Oxidized SOD1 alters proteasome activities in vitro and in the cortex of SOD1 overexpressing mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Pecheur, Marie; Bourdon, Emmanuel; Paly, Evelyne; Farout, Luc; Friguet, Bertrand; London, Jacqueline

    2005-07-04

    Premature ageing, one of the characteristics of Down syndrome (DS), may involve oxidative stress and impairment of proteasome activity. Transgenic mice overexpressing the human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene are one of the first murine models for DS and it has been shown that SOD1 overexpression might be either deleterious or beneficial. Here, we show a reduction in proteasome activities in the cortex of SOD1 transgenic mice and an associated increase in the content of oxidized SOD1 protein. As we demonstrate that in vitro oxidized SOD can inhibit purified proteasome peptidase activities, modified SOD1 might be partially responsible for proteasome inhibition shown in SOD1 transgenic mice.

  7. A robust ex vivo model for evaluation of induction of apoptosis by rhTRAIL in combination with proteasome inhibitor MG132 in human premalignant cervical explants

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hougardy, Brigitte M. T.; Reesink-Peters, Nathalie; van den Heuvel, Fiona A. J.; ten Hoor, Klaske A.; Hollema, Harry; de Vries, Elisabeth G. E.; de Jong, Steven; van der Zee, Ate G. J.

    2008-01-01

    Development of medical therapies for high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN II/III) is hampered by the lack of CIN II/III cell lines. Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis upon binding to its receptors DR4 or DR5. Proteasome inhibition by MG132

  8. Impairment of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway by Methyl N-(6-Phenylsulfanyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)carbamate Leads to a Potent Cytotoxic Effect in Tumor Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dogra, Nilambra; Mukhopadhyay, Tapas

    2012-01-01

    In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in proteasome inhibitors as a novel class of anticancer drugs. We report that fenbendazole (FZ) (methyl N-(6-phenylsulfanyl-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)carbamate) exhibits a potent growth-inhibitory activity against cancer cell lines but not normal cells. We show here, using fluorogenic substrates, that FZ treatment leads to the inhibition of proteasomal activity in the cells. Succinyl-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-methylcoumarinamide (MCA), benzyloxycarbonyl-Leu-Leu-Glu-7-amido-4-MCA, and t-butoxycarbonyl-Gln-Ala-Arg-7-amido-4-MCA fluorescent derivatives were used to assess chymotrypsin-like, post-glutamyl peptidyl-hydrolyzing, and trypsin-like protease activities, respectively. Non-small cell lung cancer cells transiently transfected with an expression plasmid encoding pd1EGFP and treated with FZ showed an accumulation of the green fluorescent protein in the cells due to an increase in its half-life. A number of apoptosis regulatory proteins that are normally degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway like cyclins, p53, and IκBα were found to be accumulated in FZ-treated cells. In addition, FZ induced distinct ER stress-associated genes like GRP78, GADD153, ATF3, IRE1α, and NOXA in these cells. Thus, treatment of human NSCLC cells with fenbendazole induced endoplasmic reticulum stress, reactive oxygen species production, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, and cytochrome c release that eventually led to cancer cell death. This is the first report to demonstrate the inhibition of proteasome function and induction of endoplasmic reticulum stress/reactive oxygen species-dependent apoptosis in human lung cancer cell lines by fenbendazole, which may represent a new class of anticancer agents showing selective toxicity against cancer cells. PMID:22745125

  9. The Regulation of Tumor Suppressor p63 by the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen R. Armstrong

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The protein p63 has been identified as a homolog of the tumor suppressor protein p53 and is capable of inducing apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, or senescence. p63 has at least six isoforms, which can be divided into two major groups: the TAp63 variants that contain the N-terminal transactivation domain and the ΔNp63 variants that lack the N-terminal transactivation domain. The TAp63 variants are generally considered to be tumor suppressors involved in activating apoptosis and suppressing metastasis. ΔNp63 variants cannot induce apoptosis but can act as dominant negative inhibitors to block the function of TAp53, TAp73, and TAp63. p63 is rarely mutated in human tumors and is predominately regulated at the post-translational level by phosphorylation and ubiquitination. This review focuses primarily on regulation of p63 by the ubiquitin E-3 ligase family of enzymes via ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation, and introduces a new key regulator of the p63 protein.

  10. Imidazopyridine and Pyrazolopiperidine Derivatives as Novel Inhibitors of Serine Palmitoyl Transferase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genin, Michael J; Gonzalez Valcarcel, Isabel C; Holloway, William G; Lamar, Jason; Mosior, Marian; Hawkins, Eric; Estridge, Thomas; Weidner, Jeffrey; Seng, Thomas; Yurek, David; Adams, Lisa A; Weller, Jennifer; Reynolds, Vincent L; Brozinick, Joseph T

    2016-06-23

    To develop novel treatments for type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia, we pursued inhibitors of serine palmitoyl transferase (SPT). To this end compounds 1 and 2 were developed as potent SPT inhibitors in vitro. 1 and 2 reduce plasma ceramides in rodents, have a slight trend toward enhanced insulin sensitization in DIO mice, and reduce triglycerides and raise HDL in cholesterol/cholic acid fed rats. Unfortunately these molecules cause a gastric enteropathy after chronic dosing in rats.

  11. HIV-1 replication through hHR23A-mediated interaction of Vpr with 26S proteasome.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ge Li

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available HIV-1 Vpr is a virion-associated protein. Its activities link to viral pathogenesis and disease progression of HIV-infected patients. In vitro, Vpr moderately activates HIV-1 replication in proliferating T cells, but it is required for efficient viral infection and replication in vivo in non-dividing cells such as macrophages. How exactly Vpr contributes to viral replication remains elusive. We show here that Vpr stimulates HIV-1 replication at least in part through its interaction with hHR23A, a protein that binds to 19S subunit of the 26S proteasome and shuttles ubiquitinated proteins to the proteasome for degradation. The Vpr-proteasome interaction was initially discovered in fission yeast, where Vpr was shown to associate with Mts4 and Mts2, two 19S-associated proteins. The interaction of Vpr with the 19S subunit of the proteasome was further confirmed in mammalian cells where Vpr associates with the mammalian orthologues of fission yeast Mts4 and S5a. Consistently, depletion of hHR23A interrupts interaction of Vpr with proteasome in mammalian cells. Furthermore, Vpr promotes hHR23A-mediated protein-ubiquitination, and down-regulation of hHR23A using RNAi significantly reduced viral replication in non-proliferating MAGI-CCR5 cells and primary macrophages. These findings suggest that Vpr-proteasome interaction might counteract certain host restriction factor(s to stimulate viral replication in non-dividing cells.

  12. Morphological and metabolic changes in the nigro-striatal pathway of synthetic proteasome inhibitor (PSI-treated rats: a MRI and MRS study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Delli Pizzi

    Full Text Available Systemic administration of a Synthetic Proteasome Inhibitor (PSI in rats has been described as able to provide a model of Parkinson's disease (PD, characterized by behavioral and biochemical modifications, including loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN, as assessed by post-mortem studies. With the present study we aimed to assess in-vivo by Magnetic Resonance (MR possible morphological and metabolic changes in the nigro-striatal pathway of PSI-treated rats. 10 animals were subcutaneously injected with PSI 6.0 mg/kg dissolved in DMSO 100%. Injections were made thrice weekly over the course of two weeks. 5 more animals injected with DMSO 100% with the same protocol served as controls. The animals underwent MR sessions before and at four weeks after the end of treatment with either PSI or vehicle. MR Imaging was performed to measure SN volume and Proton MR Spectroscopy ((1H-MRS was performed to measure metabolites changes at the striatum. Animals were also assessed for motor function at baseline and at 4 and 6 weeks after treatment. Dopamine and dopamine metabolite levels were measured in the striata at 6 weeks after treatment. PSI-treated animals showed volumetric reduction of the SN (p<0.02 at 4 weeks after treatment as compared to baseline. Immunofluorescence analysis confirmed MRI changes in SN showing a reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase expression as compared to neuron-specific enolase expression. A reduction of N-acetyl-aspartate/total creatine ratio (p = 0.05 and an increase of glutamate-glutamine-γ amminobutirrate/total creatine were found at spectroscopy (p = 0.03. At 6 weeks after treatment, PSI-treated rats also showed motor dysfunction compared to baseline (p = 0.02, accompanied by dopamine level reduction in the striatum (p = 0.02. Treatment with PSI produced morphological and metabolic modifications of the nigro-striatal pathway, accompanied by motor dysfunction. MR demonstrated to be a powerful mean to assess in

  13. CD8(+) T cells of Listeria monocytogenes-infected mice recognize both linear and spliced proteasome products

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Platteel, Anouk C M; Mishto, Michele; Textoris-Taube, Kathrin; Keller, Christin; Liepe, Juliane; Busch, Dirk H; Kloetzel, Peter M; Sijts, Alice J A M

    CD8(+) T cells responding to infection recognize pathogen-derived epitopes presented by MHC class-I molecules. While most of such epitopes are generated by proteasome-mediated antigen cleavage, analysis of tumor antigen processing has revealed that epitopes may also derive from proteasome-catalyzed

  14. The Anti-Apoptotic Activity of BAG3 Is Restricted by Caspases and the Proteasome

    OpenAIRE

    Virador, Victoria M.; Davidson, Ben; Czechowicz, Josephine; Mai, Alisha; Kassis, Jareer; Kohn, Elise C.

    2009-01-01

    Background Caspase-mediated cleavage and proteasomal degradation of ubiquitinated proteins are two independent mechanisms for the regulation of protein stability and cellular function. We previously reported BAG3 overexpression protected ubiquitinated clients, such as AKT, from proteasomal degradation and conferred cytoprotection against heat shock. We hypothesized that the BAG3 protein is regulated by proteolysis. Methodology/Principal Findings Staurosporine (STS) was used as a tool to test ...

  15. Proteasome inhibition-induced p38 MAPK/ERK signaling regulates autophagy and apoptosis through the dual phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Cheol-Hee; Lee, Byung-Hoon; Ahn, Sang-Gun; Oh, Seon-Hee

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► MG132 induces the phosphorylation of GSK3β Ser9 and, to a lesser extent, of GSK3β Thr390 . ► MG132 induces dephosphorylation of p70S6K Thr389 and phosphorylation of p70S6K Thr421/Ser424 . ► Inactivation of p38 dephosphorylates GSK3β Ser9 and phosphorylates GSK3β Thr390 . ► Inactivation of p38 phosphorylates p70S6K Thr389 and increases the phosphorylation of p70S6K Thr421/Ser424 . ► Inactivation of p38 decreases autophagy and increases apoptosis induced by MG132. -- Abstract: Proteasome inhibition is a promising approach for cancer treatment; however, the underlying mechanisms involved have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that proteasome inhibition-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates autophagy and apoptosis by modulating the phosphorylation status of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and 70 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K). The treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with MG132 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress through the induction of ATF6a, PERK phosphorylation, and CHOP, and apoptosis through the cleavage of Bax and procaspase-3. MG132 caused the phosphorylation of GSK3β at Ser 9 and, to a lesser extent, Thr 390 , the dephosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr 389 , and the phosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr 421 and Ser 424 . The specific p38 inhibitor SB203080 reduced the p-GSK3β Ser9 and autophagy through the phosphorylation of p70S6K Thr389 ; however, it augmented the levels of p-ERK, p-GSK3β Thr390 , and p-70S6K Thr421/Ser424 induced by MG132, and increased apoptotic cell death. The GSK inhibitor SB216763, but not lithium, inhibited the MG132-induced phosphorylation of p38, and the downstream signaling pathway was consistent with that in SB203580-treated cells. Taken together, our data show that proteasome inhibition regulates p38/GSK Ser9 /p70S6K Thr380 and ERK/GSK3β Thr390 /p70S6K Thr421/Ser424 kinase signaling, which is involved in cell survival and cell death.

  16. Interplay between Molecular Chaperones and the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System in Targeting of Misfolded Proteins for Degradation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, Esben Guldahl

    interacting with purified 26S proteasomes, and the subsequent characterization of two novel proteasome interacting proteins. The third study was aimed at analyzing the chaperone-assisted pathway leading to degradation of misfolded kinetochore proteins in S. pombe. In this study chaperones, E2s, E3s and DUBs...

  17. 21 CFR 1250.96 - Rodent control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Rodent control. 1250.96 Section 1250.96 Food and... SANITATION Sanitation Facilities and Conditions on Vessels § 1250.96 Rodent control. Vessels shall be... of rodent control. ...

  18. Direct ubiquitin independent recognition and degradation of a folded protein by the eukaryotic proteasomes-origin of intrinsic degradation signals.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amit Kumar Singh Gautam

    Full Text Available Eukaryotic 26S proteasomes are structurally organized to recognize, unfold and degrade globular proteins. However, all existing model substrates of the 26S proteasome in addition to ubiquitin or adaptor proteins require unstructured regions in the form of fusion tags for efficient degradation. We report for the first time that purified 26S proteasome can directly recognize and degrade apomyoglobin, a globular protein, in the absence of ubiquitin, extrinsic degradation tags or adaptor proteins. Despite a high affinity interaction, absence of a ligand and presence of only helices/loops that follow the degradation signal, apomyoglobin is degraded slowly by the proteasome. A short floppy F-helix exposed upon ligand removal and in conformational equilibrium with a disordered structure is mandatory for recognition and initiation of degradation. Holomyoglobin, in which the helix is buried, is neither recognized nor degraded. Exposure of the floppy F-helix seems to sensitize the proteasome and primes the substrate for degradation. Using peptide panning and competition experiments we speculate that initial encounters through the floppy helix and additional strong interactions with N-terminal helices anchors apomyoglobin to the proteasome. Stabilizing helical structure in the floppy F-helix slows down degradation. Destabilization of adjacent helices accelerates degradation. Unfolding seems to follow the mechanism of helix unraveling rather than global unfolding. Our findings while confirming the requirement for unstructured regions in degradation offers the following new insights: a origin and identification of an intrinsic degradation signal in the substrate, b identification of sequences in the native substrate that are likely to be responsible for direct interactions with the proteasome, and c identification of critical rate limiting steps like exposure of the intrinsic degron and destabilization of an unfolding intermediate that are presumably

  19. The 11S Proteasomal Activator REGγ Impacts Polyglutamine-Expanded Androgen Receptor Aggregation and Motor Neuron Viability through Distinct Mechanisms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jill M. Yersak

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA is caused by expression of a polyglutamine (polyQ-expanded androgen receptor (AR. The inefficient nuclear proteasomal degradation of the mutant AR results in the formation of nuclear inclusions containing amino-terminal fragments of the mutant AR. PA28γ (also referred to as REGγ is a nuclear 11S-proteasomal activator with limited proteasome activation capabilities compared to its cytoplasmic 11S (PA28α, PA28β counterparts. To clarify the role of REGγ in polyQ-expanded AR metabolism, we carried out genetic and biochemical studies in cell models of SBMA. Overexpression of REGγ in a PC12 cell model of SBMA increased polyQ-expanded AR aggregation and contributed to polyQ-expanded AR toxicity in the presence of dihydrotestosterone (DHT. These effects of REGγ were independent of its association with the proteasome and may be due, in part, to the decreased binding of polyQ-expanded AR by the E3 ubiquitin-ligase MDM2. Unlike its effects in PC12 cells, REGγ overexpression rescued transgenic SBMA motor neurons from DHT-induced toxicity in a proteasome binding-dependent manner, suggesting that the degradation of a specific 11S proteasome substrate or substrates promotes motor neuron viability. One potential substrate that we found to play a role in mutant AR toxicity is the splicing factor SC35. These studies reveal that, depending on the cellular context, two biological roles for REGγ impact cell viability in the face of polyQ-expanded AR; a proteasome binding-independent mechanism directly promotes mutant AR aggregation while a proteasome binding-dependent mechanism promotes cell viability. The balance between these functions likely determines REGγ effects on polyQ-expanded AR-expressing cells.

  20. Differential response of human and rodent cell lines to chemical inhibition of the repair of potentially lethal damage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Little, J.B.; Ueno, A.M.; Dahlberg, W.K.

    1989-07-01

    We have examined the effects of several classes of metabolic inhibitors on the repair of potentially lethal damage in density-inhibited cultures of two rodent and two human cell systems which differ in their growth characteristics. Aphidicolin, 1-..beta..-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) and hydroxyurea showed no effect on PLD repair, whereas the effects of 9-..beta..-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A) and 3-aminobenzamide (3-AB) were cell line dependent. For example, 3-AB suppressed PLD repair almost completely in CHO cells, but showed no inhibitory effects in human diploid fibroblasts. These results indicate that inhibitors of DNA replication and poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis are not efficient inhibitors of cellular recovery in irradiated cells and, moreover, that such effects may be cell line dependent.

  1. Therapeutic Strategies to Enhance the Anticancer Efficacy of Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia P. Miller

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Histone acetylation is a posttranslational modification that plays a role in regulating gene expression. More recently, other nonhistone proteins have been identified to be acetylated which can regulate their function, stability, localization, or interaction with other molecules. Modulating acetylation with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi has been validated to have anticancer effects in preclinical and clinical cancer models. This has led to development and approval of the first HDACi, vorinostat, for the treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. However, to date, targeting acetylation with HDACi as a monotherapy has shown modest activity against other cancers. To improve their efficacy, HDACi have been paired with other antitumor agents. Here, we discuss several combination therapies, highlighting various epigenetic drugs, ROS-generating agents, proteasome inhibitors, and DNA-damaging compounds that together may provide a therapeutic advantage over single-agent strategies.

  2. Development and evaluation of a sandwich ELISA for quantification of the 20S proteasome in human plasma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dutaud, Dominique; Aubry, Laurent; Henry, Laurent

    2002-01-01

    Because quantification of the 20S proteasome by functional activity measurements is difficult and inaccurate, we have developed an indirect sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for quantification of the 20S proteasome in human plasma. This sandwich ELISA uses a combination...

  3. Conversion of functionally undefined homopentameric protein PbaA into a proteasome activator by mutational modification of its C-terminal segment conformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yagi-Utsumi, Maho; Sikdar, Arunima; Kozai, Toshiya; Inoue, Rintaro; Sugiyama, Masaaki; Uchihashi, Takayuki; Yagi, Hirokazu; Satoh, Tadashi; Kato, Koichi

    2018-01-01

    Recent bioinformatic analyses identified proteasome assembly chaperone-like proteins, PbaA and PbaB, in archaea. PbaB forms a homotetramer and functions as a proteasome activator, whereas PbaA does not interact with the proteasome despite the presence of an apparent C-terminal proteasome activation motif. We revealed that PbaA forms a homopentamer predominantly in the closed conformation with its C-terminal segments packed against the core domains, in contrast to the PbaB homotetramer with projecting C-terminal segments. This prompted us to create a novel proteasome activator based on a well-characterized structural framework. We constructed a panel of chimeric proteins comprising the homopentameric scaffold of PbaA and C-terminal segment of PbaB and subjected them to proteasome-activating assays as well as small-angle X-ray scattering and high-speed atomic force microscopy. The results indicated that the open conformation and consequent proteasome activation activity could be enhanced by replacement of the crystallographically disordered C-terminal segment of PbaA with the corresponding disordered segment of PbaB. Moreover, these effects can be produced just by incorporating two glutamate residues into the disordered C-terminal segment of PbaA, probably due to electrostatic repulsion among the negatively charged segments. Thus, we successfully endowed a functionally undefined protein with proteasome-activating activity by modifying its C-terminal segment. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Txl1 and Txc1 are co-factors of the 26S proteasome in fission yeast

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Katrine M; Jensen, Camilla; Kriegenburg, Franziska

    2011-01-01

    and thereby equips proteasomes with redox capabilities. Here, we characterize the fission yeast orthologue of Txnl1, called Txl1. Txl1 associates with the 26S proteasome via its C-terminal domain. This domain is also found in the uncharacterized protein, Txc1, which was also found to interact with 26S...

  5. Virtual reality systems for rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thurley, Kay; Ayaz, Aslı

    2017-02-01

    Over the last decade virtual reality (VR) setups for rodents have been developed and utilized to investigate the neural foundations of behavior. Such VR systems became very popular since they allow the use of state-of-the-art techniques to measure neural activity in behaving rodents that cannot be easily used with classical behavior setups. Here, we provide an overview of rodent VR technologies and review recent results from related research. We discuss commonalities and differences as well as merits and issues of different approaches. A special focus is given to experimental (behavioral) paradigms in use. Finally we comment on possible use cases that may further exploit the potential of VR in rodent research and hence inspire future studies.

  6. Predicting proteasomal cleavage sites: a comparison of available methods

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saxova, P.; Buus, S.; Brunak, Søren

    2003-01-01

    -terminal, in particular, of CTL epitopes is cleaved precisely by the proteasome, whereas the N-terminal is produced with an extension, and later trimmed by peptidases in the cytoplasm and in the endoplasmic reticulum. Recently, three publicly available methods have been developed for prediction of the specificity...

  7. Dynamic recruitment of active proteasomes into polyglutamine initiated inclusion bodies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schipper-Krom, Sabine; Juenemann, Katrin; Jansen, Anne H.; Wiemhoefer, Anne; van den Nieuwendijk, Rianne; Smith, Donna L.; Hink, Mark A.; Bates, Gillian P.; Overkleeft, Hermen; Ovaa, Huib; Reits, Eric

    2014-01-01

    Neurodegenerative disorders such as Huntington's disease are hallmarked by neuronal intracellular inclusion body formation. Whether proteasomes are irreversibly recruited into inclusion bodies in these protein misfolding disorders is a controversial subject. In addition, it has been proposed that

  8. Molecular characterization of 26S proteasome regulatory subunit in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Trichophyton verrucosum is a zoophilic dermatophyte, which causes dermatophytosis infection in human as well as animals. 26S proteasome is an important protein in eukaryotic cells that is involved with degradation of unneeded or damaged proteins, when tagged with ubiquitin. In this study, we characterized the 26S ...

  9. Novel green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using Citrullus lanatus rind and investigation of proteasome inhibitory activity, antibacterial, and antioxidant potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patra JK

    2015-12-01

    potential low-cost green method of synthesizing ANPs from food waste materials. Significant biopotentials of synthesized ANPs could make it a potential candidate for its application in the biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and food sectors. Keywords: antibacterial, antioxidant, gold nanoparticles, proteasome inhibitor, watermelon peel, green synthesis, biosynthesis

  10. Uch2/Uch37 is the major deubiquitinating enzyme associated with the 26S proteasome in fission yeast

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stone, Miranda; Hartmann-Petersen, Rasmus; Seeger, Michael

    2004-01-01

    . Some deubiquitinating enzymes are associated with the 26S proteasome contributing to and regulating the particle's activity. Here, we characterise fission yeast Uch2 and Ubp6, two proteasome associated deubiquitinating enzymes. The human orthologues of these enzymes are known as Uch37 and Usp14......, respectively. We report that the subunit Uch2/Uch37 is the major deubiquitinating enzyme associated with the fission yeast 26S proteasome. In contrast, the activity of Ubp6 appears to play a more regulatory and/or structural role involving the proteasome subunits Mts1/Rpn9, Mts2/Rpt2 and Mts3/Rpn12, as Ubp6...... becomes essential when activity of these subunits is compromised by conditional mutations. Finally, when the genes encoding Uch2/Uch37 and Ubp6 are disrupted, the cells are viable without showing obvious signs of impaired ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, indicating that other deubiquitinating enzymes may...

  11. Complementary genetic screens identify the E3 ubiquitin ligase CBLC, as a modifier of PARP inhibitor sensitivity

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Frankum, J.; Moudrý, P.; Brough, R.; Hodný, Zdeněk; Ashworth, A.; Bartek, Jiří; Lord, C.J.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 6, č. 13 (2015), s. 10746-10758 ISSN 1949-2553 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-17555S EU Projects: European Commission HEALTH-F2-2010-259893 Grant - others:Lundbeck Foundation(DK) R93-A8990; Danish Council for Independent Research(DK) DFF-1331-00262 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 Keywords : DNA damage response * ubiquitin-proteasome system * RNA interference screens * PARP inhibitors * CBLC Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.008, year: 2015

  12. Proteasomes remain intact, but show early focal alteration in their composition in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kabashi, Edor; Agar, Jeffrey N; Hong, Yu; Taylor, David M; Minotti, Sandra; Figlewicz, Denise A; Durham, Heather D

    2008-06-01

    In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis caused by mutations in Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1), altered solubility and aggregation of the mutant protein implicates failure of pathways for detecting and catabolizing misfolded proteins. Our previous studies demonstrated early reduction of proteasome-mediated proteolytic activity in lumbar spinal cord of SOD1(G93A) transgenic mice, tissue particularly vulnerable to disease. The purpose of this study was to identify any underlying abnormalities in proteasomal structure. In lumbar spinal cord of pre-symptomatic mice [postnatal day 45 (P45) and P75], normal levels of structural 20S alpha subunits were incorporated into 20S/26S proteasomes; however, proteasomal complexes separated by native gel electrophoresis showed decreased immunoreactivity with antibodies to beta3, a structural subunit of the 20S proteasome core, and beta5, the subunit with chymotrypsin-like activity. This occurred prior to increase in beta5i immunoproteasomal subunit. mRNA levels were maintained and no association of mutant SOD1 with proteasomes was identified, implicating post-transcriptional mechanisms. mRNAs also were maintained in laser captured motor neurons at a later stage of disease (P100) in which multiple 20S proteins are reduced relative to the surrounding neuropil. Increase in detergent-insoluble, ubiquitinated proteins at P75 provided further evidence of stress on mechanisms of protein quality control in multiple cell types prior to significant motor neuron death.

  13. Role of the Ubiquitin Proteasome System in Regulating Skin Pigmentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hideya Ando

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Pigmentation of the skin, hair and eyes is regulated by tyrosinase, the critical rate-limiting enzyme in melanin synthesis by melanocytes. Tyrosinase is degraded endogenously, at least in part, by the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS. Several types of inherited hypopigmentary diseases, such as oculocutaneous albinism and Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, involve the aberrant processing and/or trafficking of tyrosinase and its subsequent degradation which can occur due to the quality-control machinery. Studies on carbohydrate modifications have revealed that tyrosinase in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER is proteolyzed via ER-associated protein degradation and that tyrosinase degradation can also occur following its complete maturation in the Golgi. Among intrinsic factors that regulate the UPS, fatty acids have been shown to modulate tyrosinase degradation in contrasting manners through increased or decreased amounts of ubiquitinated tyrosinase that leads to its accelerated or decelerated degradation by proteasomes.

  14. Gammaherpesviral Tegument Proteins, PML-Nuclear Bodies and the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florian Full

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Gammaherpesviruses like Epstein-Barr virus (EBV and Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV subvert the ubiquitin proteasome system for their own benefit in order to facilitate viral gene expression and replication. In particular, viral tegument proteins that share sequence homology to the formylglycineamide ribonucleotide amidotransferase (FGARAT, or PFAS, an enzyme in the cellular purine biosynthesis, are important for disrupting the intrinsic antiviral response associated with Promyelocytic Leukemia (PML protein-associated nuclear bodies (PML-NBs by proteasome-dependent and independent mechanisms. In addition, all herpesviruses encode for a potent ubiquitin protease that can efficiently remove ubiquitin chains from proteins and thereby interfere with several different cellular pathways. In this review, we discuss mechanisms and functional consequences of virus-induced ubiquitination and deubiquitination for early events in gammaherpesviral infection.

  15. Proteasomal targeting and minigene repetition improve cell-surface presentation of a transfected, modified melanoma tumour antigen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, A B; Zocca, M-B; Bonefeld, C M

    2004-01-01

    Melanoma antigen recognized by T cell 1 (MART-1) is regarded as a candidate peptide for vaccination against malignant melanoma, and it is of importance to develop strategies to improve the vaccine-elicited T-cell activation towards MART-1. T-cell activation is, among other determinants, dependent...... on the density of specific major histocompatibility complex-peptide complexes on the surface of the antigen-presenting cell. In this study, we explored the cell-surface presentation of a substituted MART-1 peptide encoded by transfected minigenes. We investigated the potential of proteasomal targeting compared...... to non-proteasomal targeting of the epitope to increase its cell-surface presentation. Furthermore, we explored the potential of incorporating multiple minigenes instead of one to increase cell-surface presentation. We show that both proteasomal targeting and repetition of the minigene increase cell...

  16. Quaternary structure of the ATPase complex of human 26S proteasomes determined by chemical cross-linking

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartmann-Petersen, R; Tanaka, K; Hendil, K B

    2001-01-01

    and substrate specificity. Among the approximately 18 subunits of PA700 regulator, six are ATPases. The ATPases presumably recognize, unfold, and translocate substrates into the interior of the 26S proteasome. It is generally believed that the ATPases form a hexameric ring. By means of chemical cross......-linking, immunoprecipitation, and blotting, we have determined that the ATPases are organized in the order S6-S6'-S10b-S8-S4-S7. Additionally, we found cross-links between the ATPase S10b and the 20S proteasome subunit alpha6. Together with the previously known interaction between S8 and alpha1 and between S4 and alpha7......, these data establish the relative orientations of ATPases with respect to the 20S proteasome....

  17. The novel Akt inhibitor API-1 induces c-FLIP degradation and synergizes with TRAIL to augment apoptosis independent of Akt inhibition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Bo; Ren, Hui; Yue, Ping; Chen, Mingwei; Khuri, Fadlo R; Sun, Shi-Yong

    2012-04-01

    API-1 (pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines) is a novel small-molecule inhibitor of Akt, which acts by binding to Akt and preventing its membrane translocation and has promising preclinical antitumor activity. In this study, we reveal a novel function of API-1 in regulation of cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) levels and TRAIL-induced apoptosis, independent of Akt inhibition. API-1 effectively induced apoptosis in tested cancer cell lines including activation of caspase-8 and caspase-9. It reduced the levels of c-FLIP without increasing the expression of death receptor 4 (DR4) or DR5. Accordingly, it synergized with TRAIL to induce apoptosis. Enforced expression of ectopic c-FLIP did not attenuate API-1-induced apoptosis but inhibited its ability to enhance TRAIL-induced apoptosis. These data indicate that downregulation of c-FLIP mediates enhancement of TRAIL-induced apoptosis by API-1 but is not sufficient for API-1-induced apoptosis. API-1-induced reduction of c-FLIP could be blocked by the proteasome inhibitor MG132. Moreover, API-1 increased c-FLIP ubiquitination and decreased c-FLIP stability. These data together suggest that API-1 downregulates c-FLIP by facilitating its ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation. Because other Akt inhibitors including API-2 and MK2206 had minimal effects on reducing c-FLIP and enhancement of TRAIL-induced apoptosis, it is likely that API-1 reduces c-FLIP and enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis independent of its Akt-inhibitory activity. 2012 AACR

  18. A biometric approach to laboratory rodent identification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cameron, Jens; Jacobson, Christina; Nilsson, Kenneth; Rögnvaldsson, Thorsteinn

    2007-03-01

    Individual identification of laboratory rodents typically involves invasive methods, such as tattoos, ear clips, and implanted transponders. Beyond the ethical dilemmas they may present, these methods may cause pain or distress that confounds research results. The authors describe a prototype device for biometric identification of laboratory rodents that would allow researchers to identify rodents without the complications of other methods. The device, which uses the rodent's ear blood vessel pattern as the identifier, is fast, automatic, noninvasive, and painless.

  19. Proteasome inhibition-induced p38 MAPK/ERK signaling regulates autophagy and apoptosis through the dual phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3{beta}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Cheol-Hee [Research Center for Resistant Cells, Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Byung-Hoon [College of Pharmacy and Multiscreening Center for Drug Development, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Sang-Gun [Department of Pathology, College of Dentistry, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Seon-Hee, E-mail: oshccw@hanmail.net [Research Center for Resistant Cells, Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-gu, Gwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-02-24

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MG132 induces the phosphorylation of GSK3{beta}{sup Ser9} and, to a lesser extent, of GSK3{beta}{sup Thr390}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MG132 induces dephosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr389} and phosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr421/Ser424}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inactivation of p38 dephosphorylates GSK3{beta}{sup Ser9} and phosphorylates GSK3{beta}{sup Thr390}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inactivation of p38 phosphorylates p70S6K{sup Thr389} and increases the phosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr421/Ser424}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Inactivation of p38 decreases autophagy and increases apoptosis induced by MG132. -- Abstract: Proteasome inhibition is a promising approach for cancer treatment; however, the underlying mechanisms involved have not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that proteasome inhibition-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase regulates autophagy and apoptosis by modulating the phosphorylation status of glycogen synthase kinase 3{beta} (GSK3{beta}) and 70 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K). The treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with MG132 induced endoplasmic reticulum stress through the induction of ATF6a, PERK phosphorylation, and CHOP, and apoptosis through the cleavage of Bax and procaspase-3. MG132 caused the phosphorylation of GSK3{beta} at Ser{sup 9} and, to a lesser extent, Thr{sup 390}, the dephosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr{sup 389}, and the phosphorylation of p70S6K at Thr{sup 421} and Ser{sup 424}. The specific p38 inhibitor SB203080 reduced the p-GSK3{beta}{sup Ser9} and autophagy through the phosphorylation of p70S6K{sup Thr389}; however, it augmented the levels of p-ERK, p-GSK3{beta}{sup Thr390}, and p-70S6K{sup Thr421/Ser424} induced by MG132, and increased apoptotic cell death. The GSK inhibitor SB216763, but not lithium, inhibited the MG132-induced phosphorylation of p38, and the downstream signaling pathway was consistent with that in SB203580-treated cells. Taken together, our

  20. Functional interplay between mitochondrial and proteasome activity in skin aging

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kozie, Rafa; Greussing, Ruth; Maier, Andrea B.; Declercq, Lieve; Jansen-Dürr, Pidder

    According to the mitochondrial theory of aging, reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived primarily from mitochondria cause cumulative oxidative damage to various cellular molecules and thereby contribute to the aging process. On the other hand, a pivotal role of the proteasome, as a main proteolytic

  1. Spatial arrangement and functional role of α subunits of proteasome activator PA28 in hetero-oligomeric form

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugiyama, Masaaki, E-mail: sugiyama@rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Osaka 590-0494 (Japan); Sahashi, Hiroki [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603 (Japan); Kurimoto, Eiji [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603 (Japan); Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya 468-8503 (Japan); Takata, Shin-ichi [J-PARC Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Yagi, Hirokazu; Kanai, Keita; Sakata, Eri [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603 (Japan); Minami, Yasufumi [Department of Biotechnology, Maebashi Institute of Technology, Gunma 371-0816 (Japan); Tanaka, Keiji [Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506 (Japan); Kato, Koichi, E-mail: kkatonmr@ims.ac.jp [Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Nagoya 467-8603 (Japan); Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 (Japan); Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 (Japan)

    2013-03-01

    Highlights: ► Homologous α and β subunits are alternatively arranged in the PA28 heptameric ring. ► The flexible loops of the three α subunits surround the site of substrate entry. ► The loops serve as gatekeepers that selectively hinder passage of longer peptides. - Abstract: A major form of proteasome activator PA28 is a heteroheptamer composed of interferon-γ-inducible α and β subunits, which share approximately 50% amino acid identity and possess distinct insert loops. This activator forms a complex with the 20S proteasome and thereby stimulates proteasomal degradation of peptides in an ATP-independent manner, giving rise to smaller antigenic peptides presented by major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. In this study, we performed biophysical and biochemical characterization of the structure and function of the PA28 hetero-oligomer. Deuteration-assisted small-angle neutron scattering demonstrated three α and four β subunits are alternately arranged in the heptameric ring. In this arrangement, PA28 loops surround the central pore of the heptameric ring (site for peptide entry). Activating the 20S proteasome with a PA28 mutant that lacked the α subunit loops cleaved model substrates longer than a nonapeptide with better efficiency when compared to wild-type PA28. Based on these data, we hypothesize that the flexible PA28 loops act as gatekeepers, which function to select the length of peptide substrates to be transported between the proteolytic chamber and the extra-proteasomal medium.

  2. Rodent Models for Metabolic Syndrome Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunil K. Panchal

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Rodents are widely used to mimic human diseases to improve understanding of the causes and progression of disease symptoms and to test potential therapeutic interventions. Chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension, together known as the metabolic syndrome, are causing increasing morbidity and mortality. To control these diseases, research in rodent models that closely mimic the changes in humans is essential. This review will examine the adequacy of the many rodent models of metabolic syndrome to mimic the causes and progression of the disease in humans. The primary criterion will be whether a rodent model initiates all of the signs, especially obesity, diabetes, hypertension and dysfunction of the heart, blood vessels, liver and kidney, primarily by diet since these are the diet-induced signs in humans with metabolic syndrome. We conclude that the model that comes closest to fulfilling this criterion is the high carbohydrate, high fat-fed male rodent.

  3. Cables1 controls p21/Cip1 protein stability by antagonizing proteasome subunit alpha type 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Z; Li, Z; Li, Z J; Cheng, K; Du, Y; Fu, H; Khuri, F R

    2015-05-07

    The cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor 1A, p21/Cip1, is a vital cell cycle regulator, dysregulation of which has been associated with a large number of human malignancies. One critical mechanism that controls p21 function is through its degradation, which allows the activation of its associated cell cycle-promoting kinases, CDK2 and CDK4. Thus delineating how p21 is stabilized and degraded will enhance our understanding of cell growth control and offer a basis for potential therapeutic interventions. Here we report a novel regulatory mechanism that controls the dynamic status of p21 through its interaction with Cdk5 and Abl enzyme substrate 1 (Cables1). Cables1 has a proposed role as a tumor suppressor. We found that upregulation of Cables1 protein was correlated with increased half-life of p21 protein, which was attributed to Cables1/p21 complex formation and supported by their co-localization in the nucleus. Mechanistically, Cables1 interferes with the proteasome (Prosome, Macropain) subunit alpha type 3 (PSMA3) binding to p21 and protects p21 from PSMA3-mediated proteasomal degradation. Moreover, silencing of p21 partially reverses the ability of Cables1 to induce cell death and inhibit cell proliferation. In further support of a potential pathophysiological role of Cables1, the expression level of Cables1 is tightly associated with p21 in both cancer cell lines and human lung cancer patient tumor samples. Together, these results suggest Cables1 as a novel p21 regulator through maintaining p21 stability and support the model that the tumor-suppressive function of Cables1 occurs at least in part through enhancing the tumor-suppressive activity of p21.

  4. The rodent ultrasound production mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, L H

    1975-03-01

    Rodents produce two types of sounds, audible and ultrasonic, that differ markedly in physical structure. Studies of sound production in light gases show that whereas the audible cries appear to be produced, as in the case of most other mammals, by vibrating structures in the larynx, the ultrasonic cries are produced by a different mechanism, probably a whistle. 'Bird-call' whistles are shown to have all the properties of rodent ultrasonic cries and to mimic them in almost every detail. Thus it is concluded that rodents have two distinct sound production mechanisms, one for audible cries and one for ultrasonic cries.

  5. Proteasomal Dysfunction Induced By Diclofenac Engenders Apoptosis Through Mitochondrial Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amanullah, Ayeman; Upadhyay, Arun; Chhangani, Deepak; Joshi, Vibhuti; Mishra, Ribhav; Yamanaka, Koji; Mishra, Amit

    2017-05-01

    Diclofenac is the most commonly used phenylacetic acid derivative non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that demonstrates significant analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory effects. Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated anti-proliferative activity of NSAIDs and examined their apoptotic induction effects in different cancer cell lines. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which these pharmacological agents induce apoptosis and exert anti-carcinogenic properties are not well known. Here, we have observed that diclofenac treatment induces proteasome malfunction and promotes accumulation of different critical proteasome substrates, including few pro-apoptotic proteins in cells. Exposure of diclofenac consequently elevates aggregation of various ubiquitylated misfolded proteins. Finally, we have shown that diclofenac treatment promotes apoptosis in cells, which could be because of mitochondrial membrane depolarization and cytochrome c release into cytosol. This study suggests possible beneficial insights of NSAIDs-induced apoptosis that may improve our existing knowledge in anti-proliferative interspecific strategies development. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1014-1027, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Steviol reduces MDCK Cyst formation and growth by inhibiting CFTR channel activity and promoting proteasome-mediated CFTR degradation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaowalit Yuajit

    Full Text Available Cyst enlargement in polycystic kidney disease (PKD involves cAMP-activated proliferation of cyst-lining epithelial cells and transepithelial fluid secretion into the cyst lumen via cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR chloride channel. This study aimed to investigate an inhibitory effect and detailed mechanisms of steviol and its derivatives on cyst growth using a cyst model in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK cells. Among 4 steviol-related compounds tested, steviol was found to be the most potent at inhibiting MDCK cyst growth. Steviol inhibition of cyst growth was dose-dependent; steviol (100 microM reversibly inhibited cyst formation and cyst growth by 72.53.6% and 38.2±8.5%, respectively. Steviol at doses up to 200 microM had no effect on MDCK cell viability, proliferation and apoptosis. However, steviol acutely inhibited forskolin-stimulated apical chloride current in MDCK epithelia, measured with the Ussing chamber technique, in a dose-dependent manner. Prolonged treatment (24 h with steviol (100 microM also strongly inhibited forskolin-stimulated apical chloride current, in part by reducing CFTR protein expression in MDCK cells. Interestingly, proteasome inhibitor, MG-132, abolished the effect of steviol on CFTR protein expression. Immunofluorescence studies demonstrated that prolonged treatment (24 h with steviol (100 microM markedly reduced CFTR expression at the plasma membrane. Taken together, the data suggest that steviol retards MDCK cyst progression in two ways: first by directly inhibiting CFTR chloride channel activity and second by reducing CFTR expression, in part, by promoting proteasomal degradation of CFTR. Steviol and related compounds therefore represent drug candidates for treatment of polycystic kidney disease.

  7. Concurrent Inhibition of Pim and FLT3 Kinases Enhances Apoptosis of FLT3-ITD Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells through Increased Mcl-1 Proteasomal Degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapoor, Shivani; Natarajan, Karthika; Baldwin, Patrick R; Doshi, Kshama A; Lapidus, Rena G; Mathias, Trevor J; Scarpa, Mario; Trotta, Rossana; Davila, Eduardo; Kraus, Manfred; Huszar, Dennis; Tron, Adriana E; Perrotti, Danilo; Baer, Maria R

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: fms -like tyrosine kinase 3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3-ITD) is present in 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and these patients have short disease-free survival. FLT3 inhibitors have limited and transient clinical activity, and concurrent treatment with inhibitors of parallel or downstream signaling may improve responses. The oncogenic serine/threonine kinase Pim-1 is upregulated downstream of FLT3-ITD and also promotes its signaling in a positive feedback loop, suggesting benefit of combined Pim and FLT3 inhibition. Experimental Design: Combinations of clinically active Pim and FLT3 inhibitors were studied in vitro and in vivo Results: Concurrent treatment with the pan-Pim inhibitor AZD1208 and FLT3 inhibitors at clinically applicable concentrations abrogated in vitro growth of FLT3-ITD, but not wild-type FLT3 (FLT3-WT), cell lines. AZD1208 cotreatment increased FLT3 inhibitor-induced apoptosis of FLT3-ITD, but not FLT3-WT, cells measured by sub-G 1 fraction, annexin V labeling, mitochondrial membrane potential, and PARP and caspase-3 cleavage. Concurrent treatment with AZD1208 and the FLT3 inhibitor quizartinib decreased growth of MV4-11 cells, with FLT3-ITD, in mouse xenografts, and prolonged survival, enhanced apoptosis of FLT3-ITD primary AML blasts, but not FLT3-WT blasts or remission marrow cells, and decreased FLT3-ITD AML blast colony formation. Mechanistically, AZD1208 and quizartinib cotreatment decreased expression of the antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1. Decrease in Mcl-1 protein expression was abrogated by treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132, and was preceded by downregulation of the Mcl-1 deubiquitinase USP9X, a novel mechanism of Mcl-1 regulation in AML. Conclusions: The data support clinical testing of Pim and FLT3 inhibitor combination therapy for FLT3-ITD AML. Clin Cancer Res; 24(1); 234-47. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  8. The cAMP signaling system inhibits the repair of {gamma}-ray-induced DNA damage by promoting Epac1-mediated proteasomal degradation of XRCC1 protein in human lung cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Eun-Ah [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799 (Korea, Republic of); Juhnn, Yong-Sung, E-mail: juhnn@snu.ac.kr [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 110-799 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-06-01

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer cAMP signaling system inhibits repair of {gamma}-ray-induced DNA damage. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer cAMP signaling system inhibits DNA damage repair by decreasing XRCC1 expression. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer cAMP signaling system decreases XRCC1 expression by promoting its proteasomal degradation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The promotion of XRCC1 degradation by cAMP signaling system is mediated by Epac1. -- Abstract: Cyclic AMP is involved in the regulation of metabolism, gene expression, cellular growth and proliferation. Recently, the cAMP signaling system was found to modulate DNA-damaging agent-induced apoptosis by regulating the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins and inhibitors of apoptosis. Thus, we hypothesized that the cAMP signaling may modulate DNA repair activity, and we investigated the effects of the cAMP signaling system on {gamma}-ray-induced DNA damage repair in lung cancer cells. Transient expression of a constitutively active mutant of stimulatory G protein (G{alpha}sQL) or treatment with forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase activator, augmented radiation-induced DNA damage and inhibited repair of the damage in H1299 lung cancer cells. Expression of G{alpha}sQL or treatment with forskolin or isoproterenol inhibited the radiation-induced expression of the XRCC1 protein, and exogenous expression of XRCC1 abolished the DNA repair-inhibiting effect of forskolin. Forskolin treatment promoted the ubiquitin and proteasome-dependent degradation of the XRCC1 protein, resulting in a significant decrease in the half-life of the protein after {gamma}-ray irradiation. The effect of forskolin on XRCC1 expression was not inhibited by PKA inhibitor, but 8-pCPT-2 Prime -O-Me-cAMP, an Epac-selective cAMP analog, increased ubiquitination of XRCC1 protein and decreased XRCC1 expression. Knockdown of Epac1 abolished the effect of 8-pCPT-2 Prime -O-Me-cAMP and restored XRCC1 protein level following {gamma}-ray irradiation. From

  9. Age-related and sex-specific differences in proteasome activity in individual Drosophila flies from wild type, longevity-selected and stress resistant strains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Tina Østergaard; Sarup, Pernille Merete; Loeschcke, Volker

    2012-01-01

    with that in C1 males. However, in longevity-selected LS1 flies the proteasome activity was significantly lower compared to C1 flies, but the sex differences were maintained to some extent. Five other stress resistant lines also had significantly reduced proteasome activity in both sexes. During ageing...... and that increased lifespan and stress resistance lead to a reduction in proteasome activity and recession of the age-related decline observed in control females....

  10. Wild Rodent Ectoparasites Collected from Northwestern Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zabihollah Zarei

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: Rodents play an important role as reservoir of some pathogens, and the host of some ectoparasites as well. These ectoparasites can transmit rodents’ pathogens to human or animals. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution and infestation load of ectoparasites on rodents in Meshkin-Shahr District, northwestern Iran.Method: Rodents were captured using baited live traps in spring 2014 from Meshkin-Shahr District and were trans­ferred to the laboratory for identification to the species level. Their ectoparasites were collected, mounted and identi­fied.Results: Three rodent species including Meriones persicus (74%, Mus musculus (16.9% and Cricetulus migrato­rius (9% were identified. Among all rodents, 185 specimens (90.69% were infested with a total of 521 ectopara­sites. Overall, 10 arthropods species were collected, including fleas (97.6%, one mite (1.6% and one louse species (0.6% as follows: Xenopsylla nubica, X. astia, X. buxtoni, X. cheopis, Nosopsyllus fasciatus, N. iranus, Cten­ocephalides felis, Ctenophthalmus rettigismiti, Ornithonyssus sp and one species of genus Polyplax. The most prev­alent ectoparasites species was X. nubica (89%.Conclusion: Nearly all rodent species were infested with Xenopsylla species. Monitoring of ectoparasites on infested rodents is very important for awareness and early warning towards control of arthropod-borne diseases.

  11. Elucidating the Mechanism of Gain of Toxic Function From Mutant C1 Inhibitor Proteins in Hereditary Angioedema

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    antibodies to 5 specifically blot wild-type C1INH in the pathologic polymers.. A FLAG tag was placed into the wild-type C1INH cDNA located immediately...resulted in decreased secretion of the 3x-FLAG-WT-C1INH when cotransfected with the mutant cDNA . This was an important confirmation of our...C1INH plus mutant C1INH cDNA in the presence or absence of a lactacystin, a proteasome inhibitor. As shown in figure 2, blocking degradation of

  12. Current Understanding on the Role of Standard and Immunoproteasomes in Inflammatory/Immunological Pathways of Multiple Sclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Bellavista

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The ubiquitin-proteasome system is the major intracellular molecular machinery for protein degradation and maintenance of protein homeostasis in most human cells. As ubiquitin-proteasome system plays a critical role in the regulation of the immune system, it might also influence the development and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS. Both ex vivo analyses and animal models suggest that activity and composition of ubiquitin-proteasome system are altered in MS. Proteasome isoforms endowed of immunosubunits may affect the functionality of different cell types such as CD8+ and CD4+ T cells and B cells as well as neurons during MS development. Furthermore, the study of proteasome-related biomarkers, such as proteasome antibodies and circulating proteasomes, may represent a field of interest in MS. Proteasome inhibitors are already used as treatment for cancer and the recent development of inhibitors selective for immunoproteasome subunits may soon represent novel therapeutic approaches to the different forms of MS. In this review we describe the current knowledge on the potential role of proteasomes in MS and discuss the pro et contra of possible therapies for MS targeting proteasome isoforms.

  13. An extract of Artemisia dracunculus L. inhibits ubiquitin-proteasome activity and preserves skeletal muscle mass in a murine model of diabetes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heather Kirk-Ballard

    Full Text Available Impaired insulin signaling is a key feature of type 2 diabetes and is associated with increased ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent protein degradation in skeletal muscle. An extract of Artemisia dracunculus L. (termed PMI5011 improves insulin action by increasing insulin signaling in skeletal muscle. We sought to determine if the effect of PMI5011 on insulin signaling extends to regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system. C2C12 myotubes and the KK-A(y murine model of type 2 diabetes were used to evaluate the effect of PMI5011 on steady-state levels of ubiquitylation, proteasome activity and expression of Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1, muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases that are upregulated with impaired insulin signaling. Our results show that PMI5011 inhibits proteasome activity and steady-state ubiquitylation levels in vitro and in vivo. The effect of PMI5011 is mediated by PI3K/Akt signaling and correlates with decreased expression of Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1. Under in vitro conditions of hormonal or fatty acid-induced insulin resistance, PMI5011 improves insulin signaling and reduces Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 protein levels. In the KK-A(y murine model of type 2 diabetes, skeletal muscle ubiquitylation and proteasome activity is inhibited and Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 expression is decreased by PMI5011. PMI5011-mediated changes in the ubiquitin-proteasome system in vivo correlate with increased phosphorylation of Akt and FoxO3a and increased myofiber size. The changes in Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 expression, ubiquitin-proteasome activity and myofiber size modulated by PMI5011 in the presence of insulin resistance indicate the botanical extract PMI5011 may have therapeutic potential in the preservation of muscle mass in type 2 diabetes.

  14. The role of the ubiquitin proteasome system in the memory process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lip, Philomena Z Y; Demasi, Marilene; Bonatto, Diego

    2017-01-01

    Quite intuitive is the notion that memory formation and consolidation is orchestrated by protein synthesis because of the synaptic plasticity necessary for those processes. Nevertheless, recent advances have begun accumulating evidences of a high requirement for protein degradation on the molecular mechanisms of the memory process in the mammalian brain. Because degradation determines protein half-life, degradation has been increasingly recognized as an important intracellular regulatory mechanism. The proteasome is the main player in the degradation of intracellular proteins. Proteasomal substrates are mainly degraded after a post-translational modification by a poly-ubiquitin chain. Latter process, namely poly-ubiquitination, is highly regulated at the step of the ubiquitin molecule transferring to the protein substrate mediated by a set of proteins whose genes represent almost 2% of the human genome. Understanding the role of polyubiquitin-mediated protein degradation has challenging researchers in many fields of investigation as a new source of targets for therapeutic intervention, e.g. E3 ligases that transfer ubiquitin moieties to the substrate. The goal of present work was to uncover mechanisms underlying memory processes regarding the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). For that purpose, preceded of a short review on UPS and memory processes a top-down systems biology approach was applied to establish central proteins involved in memory formation and consolidation highlighting their cross-talking with the UPS. According to that approach, the pattern of expression of several elements of the UPS were found overexpressed in regions of the brain involved in processing cortical inputs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Proteasome, but not autophagy, disruption results in severe eye and wing dysmorphia: a subunit- and regulator-dependent process in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velentzas, Panagiotis D; Velentzas, Athanassios D; Pantazi, Asimina D; Mpakou, Vassiliki E; Zervas, Christos G; Papassideri, Issidora S; Stravopodis, Dimitrios J

    2013-01-01

    Proteasome-dependent and autophagy-mediated degradation of eukaryotic cellular proteins represent the two major proteostatic mechanisms that are critically implicated in a number of signaling pathways and cellular processes. Deregulation of functions engaged in protein elimination frequently leads to development of morbid states and diseases. In this context, and through the utilization of GAL4/UAS genetic tool, we herein examined the in vivo contribution of proteasome and autophagy systems in Drosophila eye and wing morphogenesis. By exploiting the ability of GAL4-ninaE. GMR and P{GawB}Bx(MS1096) genetic drivers to be strongly and preferentially expressed in the eye and wing discs, respectively, we proved that proteasomal integrity and ubiquitination proficiency essentially control fly's eye and wing development. Indeed, subunit- and regulator-specific patterns of severe organ dysmorphia were obtained after the RNAi-induced downregulation of critical proteasome components (Rpn1, Rpn2, α5, β5 and β6) or distinct protein-ubiquitin conjugators (UbcD6, but not UbcD1 and UbcD4). Proteasome deficient eyes presented with either rough phenotypes or strongly dysmorphic shapes, while transgenic mutant wings were severely folded and carried blistered structures together with loss of vein differentiation. Moreover, transgenic fly eyes overexpressing the UBP2-yeast deubiquitinase enzyme were characterized by an eyeless-like phenotype. Therefore, the proteasome/ubiquitin proteolytic activities are undoubtedly required for the normal course of eye and wing development. In contrast, the RNAi-mediated downregulation of critical Atg (1, 4, 7, 9 and 18) autophagic proteins revealed their non-essential, or redundant, functional roles in Drosophila eye and wing formation under physiological growth conditions, since their reduced expression levels could only marginally disturb wing's, but not eye's, morphogenetic organization and architecture. However, Atg9 proved indispensable for

  16. Proteasome, but not autophagy, disruption results in severe eye and wing dysmorphia: a subunit- and regulator-dependent process in Drosophila.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panagiotis D Velentzas

    Full Text Available Proteasome-dependent and autophagy-mediated degradation of eukaryotic cellular proteins represent the two major proteostatic mechanisms that are critically implicated in a number of signaling pathways and cellular processes. Deregulation of functions engaged in protein elimination frequently leads to development of morbid states and diseases. In this context, and through the utilization of GAL4/UAS genetic tool, we herein examined the in vivo contribution of proteasome and autophagy systems in Drosophila eye and wing morphogenesis. By exploiting the ability of GAL4-ninaE. GMR and P{GawB}Bx(MS1096 genetic drivers to be strongly and preferentially expressed in the eye and wing discs, respectively, we proved that proteasomal integrity and ubiquitination proficiency essentially control fly's eye and wing development. Indeed, subunit- and regulator-specific patterns of severe organ dysmorphia were obtained after the RNAi-induced downregulation of critical proteasome components (Rpn1, Rpn2, α5, β5 and β6 or distinct protein-ubiquitin conjugators (UbcD6, but not UbcD1 and UbcD4. Proteasome deficient eyes presented with either rough phenotypes or strongly dysmorphic shapes, while transgenic mutant wings were severely folded and carried blistered structures together with loss of vein differentiation. Moreover, transgenic fly eyes overexpressing the UBP2-yeast deubiquitinase enzyme were characterized by an eyeless-like phenotype. Therefore, the proteasome/ubiquitin proteolytic activities are undoubtedly required for the normal course of eye and wing development. In contrast, the RNAi-mediated downregulation of critical Atg (1, 4, 7, 9 and 18 autophagic proteins revealed their non-essential, or redundant, functional roles in Drosophila eye and wing formation under physiological growth conditions, since their reduced expression levels could only marginally disturb wing's, but not eye's, morphogenetic organization and architecture. However, Atg9 proved

  17. The Over-expression of the β2 Catalytic Subunit of the Proteasome Decreases Homologous Recombination and Impairs DNA Double-Strand Break Repair in Human Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anita Collavoli

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available By a human cDNA library screening, we have previously identified two sequences coding two different catalytic subunits of the proteasome which increase homologous recombination (HR when overexpressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here, we investigated the effect of proteasome on spontaneous HR and DNA repair in human cells. To determine if the proteasome has a role in the occurrence of spontaneous HR in human cells, we overexpressed the β2 subunit of the proteasome in HeLa cells and determined the effect on intrachromosomal HR. Results showed that the overexpression of β2 subunit decreased HR in human cells without altering the cell proteasome activity and the Rad51p level. Moreover, exposure to MG132 that inhibits the proteasome activity reduced HR in human cells. We also found that the expression of the β2 subunit increases the sensitivity to the camptothecin that induces DNA double-strand break (DSB. This suggests that the β2 subunit has an active role in HR and DSB repair but does not alter the intracellular level of the Rad51p.

  18. The ubiquitin proteasome system in glia and its role in neurodegenerative diseases

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jansen, Anne H. P.; Reits, Eric A. J.; Hol, Elly M.

    2014-01-01

    The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is crucial for intracellular protein homeostasis and for degradation of aberrant and damaged proteins. The accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins is a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's,

  19. Bcl2-associated Athanogene 3 Interactome Analysis Reveals a New Role in Modulating Proteasome Activity*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ying; Yang, Li-Na; Cheng, Li; Tu, Shun; Guo, Shu-Juan; Le, Huang-Ying; Xiong, Qian; Mo, Ran; Li, Chong-Yang; Jeong, Jun-Seop; Jiang, Lizhi; Blackshaw, Seth; Bi, Li-Jun; Zhu, Heng; Tao, Sheng-Ce; Ge, Feng

    2013-01-01

    Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3), a member of the BAG family of co-chaperones, plays a critical role in regulating apoptosis, development, cell motility, autophagy, and tumor metastasis and in mediating cell adaptive responses to stressful stimuli. BAG3 carries a BAG domain, a WW domain, and a proline-rich repeat (PXXP), all of which mediate binding to different partners. To elucidate BAG3's interaction network at the molecular level, we employed quantitative immunoprecipitation combined with knockdown and human proteome microarrays to comprehensively profile the BAG3 interactome in humans. We identified a total of 382 BAG3-interacting proteins with diverse functions, including transferase activity, nucleic acid binding, transcription factors, proteases, and chaperones, suggesting that BAG3 is a critical regulator of diverse cellular functions. In addition, we characterized interactions between BAG3 and some of its newly identified partners in greater detail. In particular, bioinformatic analysis revealed that the BAG3 interactome is strongly enriched in proteins functioning within the proteasome-ubiquitination process and that compose the proteasome complex itself, suggesting that a critical biological function of BAG3 is associated with the proteasome. Functional studies demonstrated that BAG3 indeed interacts with the proteasome and modulates its activity, sustaining cell survival and underlying resistance to therapy through the down-modulation of apoptosis. Taken as a whole, this study expands our knowledge of the BAG3 interactome, provides a valuable resource for understanding how BAG3 affects different cellular functions, and demonstrates that biologically relevant data can be harvested using this kind of integrated approach. PMID:23824909

  20. MG132 as a proteasome inhibitor induces cell growth inhibition and cell death in A549 lung cancer cells via influencing reactive oxygen species and GSH level.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Yong Hwan; Park, Woo Hyun

    2010-07-01

    Carbobenzoxy-Leu-Leu-leucinal (MG132) as a proteasome inhibitor has been shown to induce apoptotic cell death through formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the present study, we evaluated the effects of MG132 on the growth of A549 lung cancer cells in relation to cell growth, ROS and glutathione (GSH) levels. Treatment with MG132 inhibited the growth of A549 cells with an IC(50) of approximately 20 microM at 24 hours. DNA flow cytometric analysis indicated that 0.5 approximately 30 microM MG132 induced a G1 phase arrest of the cell cycle in A549 cells. Treatment with 10 or 30 microM MG132 also induced apoptosis, as evidenced by sub-G1 cells and annexin V staining cells. This was accompanied by the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP; Delta psi m). The intracellular ROS levels including O(2) (*-) were strongly increased in 10 or 30 microM MG132-treated A549 cells but were down-regulated in 0.1, 0.5 or 1 microM MG132-treated cells. Furthermore, 10 or 30 microM MG132 increased mitochondrial O(2) (*- ) level but 0.1, 0.5 or 1 microM MG132 decreased that. In addition, 10 or 30 microM MG132 induced GSH depletion in A549 cells. In conclusion, MG132 inhibited the growth of human A549 cells via inducing the cell cycle arrest as well as triggering apoptosis, which was in part correlated with the changes of ROS and GSH levels. Our present data provide important information on the anti-growth mechanisms of MG132 in A549 lung cancer cells in relation to ROS and GSH.

  1. Proteasome activity or expression is not altered by activation of the heat shock transcription factor Hsf1 in cultured fibroblasts or myoblasts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, David M; Kabashi, Edor; Agar, Jeffrey N; Minotti, Sandra; Durham, Heather D

    2005-01-01

    Heat shock proteins (Hsps) with chaperoning function work together with the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to prevent the accumulation of misfolded, potentially toxic proteins, as well as to control catabolism of the bulk of cytoplasmic, cellular protein. There is evidence for the involvement of both systems in neurodegenerative disease, and a therapeutic target is the heat shock transcription factor, Hsf1, which mediates upregulation of Hsps in response to cellular stress. The mechanisms regulating expression of proteasomal proteins in mammalian cells are less well defined. To assess any direct effect of Hsf1 on expression of proteasomal subunits and activity in mammalian cells, a plasmid encoding a constitutively active form of Hsf1 (Hsf1act) was expressed in mouse embryonic fibroblasts lacking Hsf1 and in cultured human myoblasts. Plasmid encoding an inactivatible form of Hsf1 (Hsf1inact) served as control. In cultures transfected with plasmid hsf1act, robust expression of the major stress-inducible Hsp, Hsp70, occurred but not in cultures transfected with hsf1inact. No significant changes in the level of expression of representative proteasomal proteins (structural [20Salpha], a nonpeptidase beta subunit [20Sbeta3], or 2 regulatory subunits [19S subunit 6b, 11 Salpha]) or in chymotrypsin-, trypsin-, and caspaselike activities of the proteasome were measured. Thus, stress-induced or pharmacological activation of Hsf1 in mammalian cells would upregulate Hsps but not directly affect expression or activity of proteasomes.

  2. MDM2 regulates hypoxic hypoxia-inducible factor 1α stability in an E3 ligase, proteasome, and PTEN-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Shweta; Singh, Alok R; Durden, Donald L

    2014-08-15

    Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1) is a heterodimeric transcription factor containing an inducibly expressed HIF1α subunit and a constitutively expressed HIF1β subunit. Under hypoxic conditions, the HIF1α subunit accumulates because of a decrease in the rate of proteolytic degradation, and the resulting HIF1α-HIF1β heterodimers undergo post-translational modifications that promote transactivation. Previous reports suggest that amplified signaling through PI3K enhances HIF1-dependent gene expression; however, its role is controversial, and the mechanism is unclear. Using genetically engineered PTEN-deficient cell lines, we demonstrate that PTEN specifically inhibited the accumulation of HIF1α in response to hypoxia. Furthermore, we report that in glioblastoma cell lines, inhibition of PI3K pathway, using pan as well as isoform-specific PI3K inhibitors SF1126, PF4691502, BEZ-235, GDC0941, and TGX221 blocked the induction of HIF1α protein and its targets vascular endothelial growth factor, HK1, and GLUT1 mRNA in response to hypoxia. Herein, we describe the first evidence that HIF1α can be degraded under hypoxic conditions via the 26 S proteasome and that MDM2 is the E3 ligase that induces the hypoxic degradation of HIF1α. Moreover, the action of MDM2 on HIF1α under hypoxia occurs in the cytoplasm and is controlled by the PTEN-PI3K-AKT signaling axis. These data strongly suggest a new role for PTEN in the regulation of HIF1α and importantly that PI3K-AKT activation is required for the hypoxic stabilization of HIF1α and that hypoxia alone is not sufficient to render HIF1α resistant to proteasomal cleavage and degradation. Moreover, these findings suggest new therapeutic considerations for PI3K and/or AKT inhibitors for cancer therapeutics. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  3. MDM2 Regulates Hypoxic Hypoxia-inducible Factor 1α Stability in an E3 Ligase, Proteasome, and PTEN-Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-AKT-dependent Manner*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Shweta; Singh, Alok R.; Durden, Donald L.

    2014-01-01

    Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF1) is a heterodimeric transcription factor containing an inducibly expressed HIF1α subunit and a constitutively expressed HIF1β subunit. Under hypoxic conditions, the HIF1α subunit accumulates because of a decrease in the rate of proteolytic degradation, and the resulting HIF1α–HIF1β heterodimers undergo post-translational modifications that promote transactivation. Previous reports suggest that amplified signaling through PI3K enhances HIF1-dependent gene expression; however, its role is controversial, and the mechanism is unclear. Using genetically engineered PTEN-deficient cell lines, we demonstrate that PTEN specifically inhibited the accumulation of HIF1α in response to hypoxia. Furthermore, we report that in glioblastoma cell lines, inhibition of PI3K pathway, using pan as well as isoform-specific PI3K inhibitors SF1126, PF4691502, BEZ-235, GDC0941, and TGX221 blocked the induction of HIF1α protein and its targets vascular endothelial growth factor, HK1, and GLUT1 mRNA in response to hypoxia. Herein, we describe the first evidence that HIF1α can be degraded under hypoxic conditions via the 26 S proteasome and that MDM2 is the E3 ligase that induces the hypoxic degradation of HIF1α. Moreover, the action of MDM2 on HIF1α under hypoxia occurs in the cytoplasm and is controlled by the PTEN-PI3K-AKT signaling axis. These data strongly suggest a new role for PTEN in the regulation of HIF1α and importantly that PI3K-AKT activation is required for the hypoxic stabilization of HIF1α and that hypoxia alone is not sufficient to render HIF1α resistant to proteasomal cleavage and degradation. Moreover, these findings suggest new therapeutic considerations for PI3K and/or AKT inhibitors for cancer therapeutics. PMID:24982421

  4. Template based rodent brain extraction and atlas mapping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weimin Huang; Jiaqi Zhang; Zhiping Lin; Su Huang; Yuping Duan; Zhongkang Lu

    2016-08-01

    Accurate rodent brain extraction is the basic step for many translational studies using MR imaging. This paper presents a template based approach with multi-expert refinement to automatic rodent brain extraction. We first build the brain appearance model based on the learning exemplars. Together with the template matching, we encode the rodent brain position into the search space to reliably locate the rodent brain and estimate the rough segmentation. With the initial mask, a level-set segmentation and a mask-based template learning are implemented further to the brain region. The multi-expert fusion is used to generate a new mask. We finally combine the region growing based on the histogram distribution learning to delineate the final brain mask. A high-resolution rodent atlas is used to illustrate that the segmented low resolution anatomic image can be well mapped to the atlas. Tested on a public data set, all brains are located reliably and we achieve the mean Jaccard similarity score at 94.99% for brain segmentation, which is a statistically significant improvement compared to two other rodent brain extraction methods.

  5. Chaperoning Proteins for Destruction: Diverse Roles of Hsp70 Chaperones and their Co-Chaperones in Targeting Misfolded Proteins to the Proteasome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayala Shiber

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Molecular chaperones were originally discovered as heat shock-induced proteins that facilitate proper folding of proteins with non-native conformations. While the function of chaperones in protein folding has been well documented over the last four decades, more recent studies have shown that chaperones are also necessary for the clearance of terminally misfolded proteins by the Ub-proteasome system. In this capacity, chaperones protect misfolded degradation substrates from spontaneous aggregation, facilitate their recognition by the Ub ligation machinery and finally shuttle the ubiquitylated substrates to the proteasome. The physiological importance of these functions is manifested by inefficient proteasomal degradation and the accumulation of protein aggregates during ageing or in certain neurodegenerative diseases, when chaperone levels decline. In this review, we focus on the diverse roles of stress-induced chaperones in targeting misfolded proteins to the proteasome and the consequences of their compromised activity. We further discuss the implications of these findings to the identification of new therapeutic targets for the treatment of amyloid diseases.

  6. Proteasome inhibition by new dual warhead containing peptido vinyl sulfonyl fluorides

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brouwer, Arwin J; Herrero Álvarez, Natalia; Ciaffoni, Adriano; van de Langemheen, Helmus; Liskamp, Rob M J

    2016-01-01

    The success of inhibition of the proteasome by formation of covalent bonds is a major victory over the long held-view that this would lead to binding the wrong targets and undoubtedly lead to toxicity. Great challenges are now found in uncovering ensembles of new moieties capable of forming long

  7. Histone deacetylase inhibitor, Trichostatin A induces ubiquitin-dependent cyclin D1 degradation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles Coombes R

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cyclin D1 is an important regulator of G1-S phase cell cycle transition and has been shown to be important for breast cancer development. GSK3β phosphorylates cyclin D1 on Thr-286, resulting in enhanced ubiquitylation, nuclear export and degradation of the cyclin in the cytoplasm. Recent findings suggest that the development of small-molecule cyclin D1 ablative agents is of clinical relevance. We have previously shown that the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA induces the rapid ubiquitin-dependent degradation of cyclin D1 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells prior to repression of cyclin D1 gene (CCND1 transcription. TSA treatment also resulted in accumulation of polyubiquitylated GFP-cyclin D1 species and reduced levels of the recombinant protein within the nucleus. Results Here we provide further evidence for TSA-induced ubiquitin-dependent degradation of cyclin D1 and demonstrate that GSK3β-mediated nuclear export facilitates this activity. Our observations suggest that TSA treatment results in enhanced cyclin D1 degradation via the GSK3β/CRM1-dependent nuclear export/26S proteasomal degradation pathway in MCF-7 cells. Conclusion We have demonstrated that rapid TSA-induced cyclin D1 degradation in MCF-7 cells requires GSK3β-mediated Thr-286 phosphorylation and the ubiquitin-dependent 26S proteasome pathway. Drug induced cyclin D1 repression contributes to the inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation and can sensitize cells to CDK and Akt inhibitors. In addition, anti-cyclin D1 therapy may be highly specific for treating human breast cancer. The development of potent and effective cyclin D1 ablative agents is therefore of clinical relevance. Our findings suggest that HDAC inhibitors may have therapeutic potential as small-molecule cyclin D1 ablative agents.

  8. Tactile learning in rodents: Neurobiology and neuropharmacology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roohbakhsh, Ali; Shamsizadeh, Ali; Arababadi, Mohammad Kazemi; Ayoobi, Fateme; Fatemi, Iman; Allahtavakoli, Mohammad; Mohammad-Zadeh, Mohammad

    2016-02-15

    Animal models of learning and memory have been the subject of considerable research. Rodents such as mice and rats are nocturnal animals with poor vision, and their survival depends on their sense of touch. Recent reports have shown that whisker somatosensation is the main channel through which rodents collect and process environmental information. This review describes tactile learning in rodents from a neurobiological and neuropharmacological perspective, and how this is involved in memory-related processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. How many food additives are rodent carcinogens?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, F M

    2002-01-01

    One generally assumes that chemical agents added to foods are reasonably free of risks to human health, and practically everyone consumes some additives in his or her food daily throughout life. In the United States, the 1958 Food Additives Amendment to the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938 requires food manufacturers to demonstrate the safety of food additives to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Amendment contains a provision that prohibits approval of an additive if it is found to cause cancer in humans or animals. In the present study, data from the National Toxicology Program rodent bioassay (NTPRB) were used to identify a sample of approximately 50 rodent-tested additives and other chemicals added to food that had been evaluated independently of the FDA/food industry. Surprisingly, the sample shows more than 40% of these food chemicals to be carcinogenic in one or more rodent groups. If this percentage is extrapolated to all substances added to food in the United States, it would imply that more than 1000 of such substances are potential rodent carcinogens. The NTP and FDA test guidelines use similar, though not necessarily identical, rodent test procedures, including near lifetime exposures to the maximum tolerated dose. The FDA specifies that test chemicals should be administered by the oral route. However, the oral route includes three methods of delivering chemicals, that is, mixed in the food or water or delivered by stomach tube (gavage). The NTP data show only 1 of 18 food chemicals mixed in the food are rodent carcinogens, but 16 of 23 gavage-administered food chemicals are carcinogenic to rodents. The distribution suggests that among orally delivered chemicals, those administered in the feed will more likely prove to be noncarcinogens than chemicals given by gavage. The rodent data also reveal that effects may vary according to dose and genotype, as well as by route of administration, to further complicate extrapolation to humans

  10. Convergent and Divergent Adaptations of Subterranean Rodents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fang, Xiaodong

    Subterranean rodents comprise approximately 250 species that spend their entire lives in underground, unventilated tunnels, distributed along all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Subterranean rodents escape from predators and extreme climatic fluctuations in their underground habitats,...

  11. Bioinformatic analysis of functional differences between the immunoproteasome and the constitutive proteasome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kesmir, Can; van Noort, V.; de Boer, R.J.

    2003-01-01

    not yet been quantified how different the specificity of two forms of the proteasome are. The main question, which still lacks direct evidence, is whether the immunoproteasome generates more MHC ligands. Here we use bioinformatics tools to quantify these differences and show that the immunoproteasome...

  12. Rodent-borne diseases and their public health importance in Iran.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Hasan Rabiee

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Rodents are reservoirs and hosts for several zoonotic diseases such as plague, leptospirosis, and leishmaniasis. Rapid development of industry and agriculture, as well as climate change throughout the globe, has led to change or increase in occurrence of rodent-borne diseases. Considering the distribution of rodents throughout Iran, the aim of this review is to assess the risk of rodent-borne diseases in Iran.We searched Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scientific Information Database (SID, and Magiran databases up to September 2016 to obtain articles reporting occurrence of rodent-borne diseases in Iran and extract information from them. Out of 70 known rodent-borne diseases, 34 were reported in Iran: 17 (50% parasitic diseases, 13 (38% bacterial diseases, and 4 (12% viral diseases. Twenty-one out of 34 diseases were reported from both humans and rodents. Among the diseases reported in the rodents of Iran, plague, leishmaniasis, and hymenolepiasis were the most frequent. The most infected rodents were Rattus norvegicus (16 diseases, Mus musculus (14 diseases, Rattus rattus (13 diseases, Meriones persicus (7 diseases, Apodemus spp. (5 diseases, Tatera indica (4 diseases, Meriones libycus (3 diseases, Rhombomys opimus (3 diseases, Cricetulus migratorius (3 diseases, and Nesokia indica (2 diseases.The results of this review indicate the importance of rodent-borne diseases in Iran. Considering notable diversity of rodents and their extensive distribution throughout the country, it is crucial to pay more attention to their role in spreading infectious diseases for better control of the diseases.

  13. Rodent-borne diseases and their public health importance in Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahmoudi, Ahmad; Siahsarvie, Roohollah; Kryštufek, Boris; Mostafavi, Ehsan

    2018-01-01

    Background Rodents are reservoirs and hosts for several zoonotic diseases such as plague, leptospirosis, and leishmaniasis. Rapid development of industry and agriculture, as well as climate change throughout the globe, has led to change or increase in occurrence of rodent-borne diseases. Considering the distribution of rodents throughout Iran, the aim of this review is to assess the risk of rodent-borne diseases in Iran. Methodology/Principal finding We searched Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Scientific Information Database (SID), and Magiran databases up to September 2016 to obtain articles reporting occurrence of rodent-borne diseases in Iran and extract information from them. Out of 70 known rodent-borne diseases, 34 were reported in Iran: 17 (50%) parasitic diseases, 13 (38%) bacterial diseases, and 4 (12%) viral diseases. Twenty-one out of 34 diseases were reported from both humans and rodents. Among the diseases reported in the rodents of Iran, plague, leishmaniasis, and hymenolepiasis were the most frequent. The most infected rodents were Rattus norvegicus (16 diseases), Mus musculus (14 diseases), Rattus rattus (13 diseases), Meriones persicus (7 diseases), Apodemus spp. (5 diseases), Tatera indica (4 diseases), Meriones libycus (3 diseases), Rhombomys opimus (3 diseases), Cricetulus migratorius (3 diseases), and Nesokia indica (2 diseases). Conclusions/Significance The results of this review indicate the importance of rodent-borne diseases in Iran. Considering notable diversity of rodents and their extensive distribution throughout the country, it is crucial to pay more attention to their role in spreading infectious diseases for better control of the diseases. PMID:29672510

  14. Epidemiology of Leptospira Transmitted by Rodents in Southeast Asia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mielcarek, Mathilde; Tatard, Caroline; Chaval, Yannick; Suputtamongkol, Yupin; Buchy, Philippe; Jittapalapong, Sathaporn; Herbreteau, Vincent; Morand, Serge

    2014-01-01

    Background Leptospirosis is the most common bacterial zoonoses and has been identified as an important emerging global public health problem in Southeast Asia. Rodents are important reservoirs for human leptospirosis, but epidemiological data is lacking. Methodology/Principal Findings We sampled rodents living in different habitats from seven localities distributed across Southeast Asia (Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia), between 2009 to 2010. Human isolates were also obtained from localities close to where rodents were sampled. The prevalence of Leptospira infection was assessed by real-time PCR using DNA extracted from rodent kidneys, targeting the lipL32 gene. Sequencing rrs and secY genes, and Multi Locus Variable-number Tandem Repeat (VNTR) analyses were performed on DNA extracted from rat kidneys for Leptospira isolates molecular typing. Four species were detected in rodents, L. borgpetersenii (56% of positive samples), L. interrogans (36%), L. kirschneri (3%) and L. weilli (2%), which were identical to human isolates. Mean prevalence in rodents was approximately 7%, and largely varied across localities and habitats, but not between rodent species. The two most abundant Leptospira species displayed different habitat requirements: L. interrogans was linked to humid habitats (rice fields and forests) while L. borgpetersenii was abundant in both humid and dry habitats (non-floodable lands). Conclusion/Significance L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii species are widely distributed amongst rodent populations, and strain typing confirmed rodents as reservoirs for human leptospirosis. Differences in habitat requirements for L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii supported differential transmission modes. In Southeast Asia, human infection risk is not only restricted to activities taking place in wetlands and rice fields as is commonly accepted, but should also include tasks such as forestry work, as well as the hunting and preparation of rodents for consumption, which

  15. Ectoparasites of Rodents Captured in Hamedan, Western Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid Zendehfili

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Rodents with a population greater than the entire population of other mammals on earth are the source of economic losses and health conflicts. One of the major health problems with the rodents is their role as reservoir hosts of zoonotic diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the infestation of commensal rodents with ectoparasites in Hamedan City, Western Iran.Methods: The samples were collected by live traps during years 2012–2013. After transferring the samples to the Entomological Laboratory of Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, their ectoparasites were collected andidentified.Results: A total of 171 slides were prepared from 105 captured commensal rodents: Mus musculus, Rattus rattus and R. norvegicus comprising three orders namely Mesostigmata: Hypoaspis (Laelaspis astronomica, Dermanyssius sp, Pachylaelapidae (male. Metastigmata: Rhipicephalus sp and Anoplura: Polyplax spinulosa were recovered in Hamedan City. Seventy (66.6% rodents were found infested with at least one species of ectoparasites.Conclusion: The results of our study indicate that ectoparasites infestation in commensal rodents of Hamedan city is high and more attention by local health authorities is needed to prevent zoonotic diseases.

  16. A Community-Based Surveillance on Determinants of Rodent Infestation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiu-Hua Pai

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Rodent infestation is an important factor in the transmission of infectious diseases of public health importance. From October to November 1998, surveillance stations were established in 110 boroughs of Kaohsiung City in southern Taiwan. Boroughs were chosen by random sampling 10 boroughs from each of 11 districts (464 boroughs in the city. The extent of rodent infestation was determined by cage trapping. The possibility of applying a community-based control program was evaluated by investigating associated demographic and environmental factors as well as related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. A total of 90 rodents were trapped in 41% of the 110 boroughs. Using univariate analyses, 17 factors were significantly associated with rodent infestation. A lack of knowledge that rodent control relies on community cooperation was the most important factor among the seven variables associated with the extent of rodent infestation (OR 3.1 by logistic multiple regression. This revealed the importance of community cooperation in controlling rodent infestation. Moreover, improvement of environmental hygiene associated with garbage problems, such as cleanliness of storage rooms and closets, and the hygiene of empty space and resource recycling stations should not be ignored.

  17. The 26S Proteasome Degrades the Soluble but Not the Fibrillar Form of the Yeast Prion Ure2p In Vitro.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kai Wang

    Full Text Available Yeast prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates that cause heritable and transmissible phenotypic traits. Among these, [PSI+] and [URE3] stand out as the most studied yeast prions, and result from the self-assembly of the translation terminator Sup35p and the nitrogen catabolism regulator Ure2p, respectively, into insoluble fibrillar aggregates. Protein quality control systems are well known to govern the formation, propagation and transmission of these prions. However, little is known about the implication of the cellular proteolytic machineries in their turnover. We previously showed that the 26S proteasome degrades both the soluble and fibrillar forms of Sup35p and affects [PSI+] propagation. Here, we show that soluble native Ure2p is degraded by the proteasome in an ubiquitin-independent manner. Proteasomal degradation of Ure2p yields amyloidogenic N-terminal peptides and a C-terminal resistant fragment. In contrast to Sup35p, fibrillar Ure2p resists proteasomal degradation. Thus, structural variability within prions may dictate their ability to be degraded by the cellular proteolytic systems.

  18. The 26S Proteasome Degrades the Soluble but Not the Fibrillar Form of the Yeast Prion Ure2p In Vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kai; Redeker, Virginie; Madiona, Karine; Melki, Ronald; Kabani, Mehdi

    2015-01-01

    Yeast prions are self-perpetuating protein aggregates that cause heritable and transmissible phenotypic traits. Among these, [PSI +] and [URE3] stand out as the most studied yeast prions, and result from the self-assembly of the translation terminator Sup35p and the nitrogen catabolism regulator Ure2p, respectively, into insoluble fibrillar aggregates. Protein quality control systems are well known to govern the formation, propagation and transmission of these prions. However, little is known about the implication of the cellular proteolytic machineries in their turnover. We previously showed that the 26S proteasome degrades both the soluble and fibrillar forms of Sup35p and affects [PSI +] propagation. Here, we show that soluble native Ure2p is degraded by the proteasome in an ubiquitin-independent manner. Proteasomal degradation of Ure2p yields amyloidogenic N-terminal peptides and a C-terminal resistant fragment. In contrast to Sup35p, fibrillar Ure2p resists proteasomal degradation. Thus, structural variability within prions may dictate their ability to be degraded by the cellular proteolytic systems. PMID:26115123

  19. Hunting, Food Preparation, and Consumption of Rodents in Lao PDR.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kanokwan Suwannarong

    Full Text Available A cross-sectional study was conducted in 29 villages of Khamkeuth District in Bolikhamxay Province in the Lao PDR during March to May 2013. The study aimed to determine the characteristics associated with rodent consumption and related behaviors among different ethnic groups, ages, and genders. Five-hundred-eighty-four (584 males and females from 18-50 years of age participated in this study. Half of them were Hmong (292, 50% while 152 respondents were Lao-Tai (26% or other ethnic groups (140, 24%. Most of the respondents (79.5% had farming as their main occupation. Prevalences of the studied outcomes were high: 39.9 for hunting or capturing rodents in the previous year, 77.7% for preparing rodents as food, and 86.3% for rodent consumption. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that likelihood of these types of rodent contact was more consistently associated with behavioral factors (gathering things from the forest and elsewhere, cultivation-related activities, and taking measures to prevent rodent-borne disease than with socio-demographic, environmental, or cultural factors. The strongest associations were observed for gathering things; these associations were consistently positive and statistically significant. Although this study did not directly assess rodent-borne zoonosis risk, we believe that study findings raise concern that such risk may be substantial in the study area and other similar areas. Further epidemiological studies on the association between rodent-borne disease infection and rodent hunting, preparation for food, and consumption are recommended. Moreover, further studies are needed on the association between these potential exposure factors (i.e., rodent hunting, preparation for food, and consumption and rodent-borne infections, especially among ethnic groups like the Hmong in Lao PDR and those in neighboring countries with similar socio-demographic, environmental, behavioral and cultural contexts.

  20. Dietary patterns of two herbivorous rodents: and Parotomys brantsii ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Frequency of occurrence of plant species in the diets were compared with availability of the plants in the rodents' habitats. Both rodents are generalist herbivores, eating plants species in proportion to the availability in their habitats. Dietary patterns, diversity of diet and degree of overlap between rodent's diets are a function ...

  1. Thermoregulation of the subterranean rodent genus Bathyergus ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The thermoregulation of the largest subterranean rodent, genus Bathyergus, comprising two species, B. suillus and B. janetta,occurring in mesic and semiarid habitats respectively, was investigated and compared with that of other subterranean rodents. Both species display low resting metabolic rates and low body ...

  2. A Field Study of Plague and Tularemia in Rodents, Western Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mostafavi, Ehsan; Shahraki, Abdolrazagh Hashemi; Japoni-Nejad, Alireza; Esmaeili, Saber; Darvish, Jamshid; Sedaghat, Mohammad Mehdi; Mohammadi, Ali; Mohammadi, Zeinolabedin; Mahmoudi, Ahmad; Pourhossein, Behzad; Ghasemi, Ahmad; Gyuranecz, Miklós; Carniel, Elisabeth

    2017-04-01

    Kurdistan Province in Iran is a historical focus for plague and tularemia. This study aimed at assessing the current status of these two foci by studying their rodent reservoirs. Rodents were trapped and their ectoparasites were collected. The genus and species of both rodents and ectoparasites were determined. Serological analyses of rodent blood samples were done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for plague and by standard tube agglutination assay for tularemia. Rodent spleen samples were subjected to bacterial culture, microscopic examination, and real-time PCR to search for active plague or tularemia infection. During this study, 245 rodents were trapped, of which the most abundant genera were Apodemus (40%), Mus (24.49%), and Meriones (12.65%). One hundred fifty-three fleas, 37 mites, and 54 ticks were collected on these rodents. The results of all direct and indirect tests were negative for plague. Serological tests were positive for tularemia in 4.8% of trapped rodents. This study is the first report on the presence of tularemia infection in rodents in Western Iran. Since Meriones persicus is a known reservoir for plague and tularemia, and this rodent carried plague and tularemia vectors in Marivan and Sanandaj districts, there is a real potential for the occurrence of these two diseases in this region.

  3. Proteasome Failure Promotes Positioning of Lysosomes around the Aggresome via Local Block of Microtubule-Dependent Transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaarur, Nava; Meriin, Anatoli B.; Bejarano, Eloy; Xu, Xiaobin; Gabai, Vladimir L.; Cuervo, Ana Maria

    2014-01-01

    Ubiquitinated proteins aggregate upon proteasome failure, and the aggregates are transported to the aggresome. In aggresomes, protein aggregates are actively degraded by the autophagy-lysosome pathway, but why targeting the aggresome promotes degradation of aggregated species is currently unknown. Here we report that the important factor in this process is clustering of lysosomes around the aggresome via a novel mechanism. Proteasome inhibition causes formation of a zone around the centrosome where microtubular transport of lysosomes is suppressed, resulting in their entrapment and accumulation. Microtubule-dependent transport of other organelles, including autophagosomes, mitochondria, and endosomes, is also blocked in this entrapment zone (E-zone), while movement of organelles at the cell periphery remains unaffected. Following the whole-genome small interfering RNA (siRNA) screen for proteins involved in aggresome formation, we defined the pathway that regulates formation of the E-zone, including the Stk11 protein kinase, the Usp9x deubiquitinating enzyme, and their substrate kinase MARK4. Therefore, upon proteasome failure, targeting of aggregated proteins of the aggresome is coordinated with lysosome positioning around this body to facilitate degradation of the abnormal species. PMID:24469403

  4. Bortezomib: a novel therapy approved for multiple myeloma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richardson, Paul G; Anderson, Kenneth C

    2003-10-01

    Cellular homeostasis requires routine degradation of key regulatory proteins, including tumor suppressor gene products, transcription factors, cell-cycle proteins and their inhibitors, as well as damaged and misfolded proteins. A critical part of this process is mediated by the 26S proteasome, a multi-subunit enzyme found in the nucleus and cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells. Because of its essential role in many cellular processes controlling growth and survival, the proteasome has been identified as a potential target for cancer therapy. Drugs known to inhibit proteasome activity have been shown to induce cell-cycle arrest and programmed cell death (apoptosis). The impact of this finding is heightened by research showing that cancer cells are more sensitive to the proapoptotic effects of proteasome inhibition than normal cells. Preclinical evidence using bortezomib, the only proteasome inhibitor to enter clinical trials, suggests that proteasome inhibition may be effective in the treatment of hematologic and solid malignancies by promoting apoptosis, retarding angiogenesis, and inhibiting tumor cell adhesion and production of growth factors by acting on molecules such as nuclear factor-kappaB. Further preclinical evidence suggests that the antitumor effects of cytotoxic chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be enhanced by the addition of a proteasome inhibitor. Bortezomib was recently approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma. It is currently being investigated, both as a single agent and in combination, in phase I and II trials in a variety of tumor types.

  5. Uus Multiphonic Rodent

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2009-01-01

    Tartus tegutsenud eksperimentaal-rock-duo Opium Flirt Eestisse jäänud liige Erki Hõbe (paarimees Ervin Trofimov tegutseb Ungaris) annab välja oma teise sooloalbumi nime all Multiphonic Rodent, heliplaadi "Astral Dance" esitluskontsert toimub 5. veebruaril Tallinnas baaris Juuksur

  6. Potential role of proteasome on c-jun related signaling in hypercholesterolemia induced atherosclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erdi Sozen

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Atherosclerosis and its complications are major causes of death all over the world. One of the major risks of atherosclerosis is hypercholesterolemia. During atherosclerosis, oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL regulates CD36-mediated activation of c-jun amino terminal kinase-1 (JNK1 and modulates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP induction which stimulates inflammation with an invasion of monocytes. Additionally, inhibition of proteasome leads to an accumulation of c-jun and phosphorylated c-jun and activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1 related increase of MMP expression. We have previously reported a significant increase in cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36 mRNA levels in hypercholesterolemic rabbits and shown that vitamin E treatment prevented the cholesterol induced increase in CD36 mRNA expression. In the present study, our aim is to identify the signaling molecules/transcription factors involved in the progression of atherosclerosis following CD36 activation in an in vivo model of hypercholesterolemic (induced by 2% cholesterol containing diet rabbits. In this direction, proteasomal activities by fluorometry and c-jun, phospo c-jun, JNK1, MMP-9 expressions by quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting were tested in aortic tissues. The effects of vitamin E on these changes were also investigated in this model. As a result, c-jun was phosphorylated following decreased proteasomal degradation in hypercholesterolemic group. MMP-9 expression was also increased in cholesterol group rabbits contributing to the development of atherosclerosis. In addition, vitamin E showed its effect by decreasing MMP-9 levels and phosphorylation of c-jun.

  7. Rodent management: the man/environment interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jackson, W.B.

    1978-01-01

    Rodents which interact with man generally are regarded as undesirable. Attempts at eliminating such rodents by increasing predation (including traps, microbiological agents, toxicants) have been relatively unsuccessful. Management by environmental manipulation must be basic. This then can be supplemented with predation at critical points where public health, use practices, or imperfections in the system demand. Society mores, practices, and economic considerations also have significant impact on the management system

  8. Conformational Landscape of the p28-Bound Human Proteasome Regulatory Particle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Ying; Wu, Jiayi; Dong, Yuanchen; Chen, Shuobing; Sun, Shuangwu; Ma, Yong-Bei; Ouyang, Qi; Finley, Daniel; Kirschner, Marc W; Mao, Youdong

    2017-07-20

    The proteasome holoenzyme is activated by its regulatory particle (RP) consisting of two subcomplexes, the lid and the base. A key event in base assembly is the formation of a heterohexameric ring of AAA-ATPases, which is guided by at least four RP assembly chaperones in mammals: PAAF1, p28/gankyrin, p27/PSMD9, and S5b. Using cryogenic electron microscopy, we analyzed the non-AAA structure of the p28-bound human RP at 4.5 Å resolution and determined seven distinct conformations of the Rpn1-p28-AAA subcomplex within the p28-bound RP at subnanometer resolutions. Remarkably, the p28-bound AAA ring does not form a channel in the free RP and spontaneously samples multiple "open" and "closed" topologies at the Rpt2-Rpt6 and Rpt3-Rpt4 interfaces. Our analysis suggests that p28 assists the proteolytic core particle to select a specific conformation of the ATPase ring for RP engagement and is released in a shoehorn-like fashion in the last step of the chaperone-mediated proteasome assembly. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Optimization of Allosteric With-No-Lysine (WNK) Kinase Inhibitors and Efficacy in Rodent Hypertension Models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamada, Ken; Levell, Julian; Yoon, Taeyong; Kohls, Darcy; Yowe, David; Rigel, Dean F.; Imase, Hidetomo; Yuan, Jun; Yasoshima, Kayo; DiPetrillo, Keith; Monovich, Lauren; Xu, Lingfei; Zhu, Meicheng; Kato, Mitsunori; Jain, Monish; Idamakanti, Neeraja; Taslimi, Paul; Kawanami, Toshio; Argikar, Upendra A.; Kunjathoor, Vidya; Xie, Xiaoling; Yagi, Yukiko I.; Iwaki, Yuki; Robinson, Zachary; Park, Hyi-Man (Novartis)

    2017-08-03

    The observed structure–activity relationship of three distinct ATP noncompetitive With-No-Lysine (WNK) kinase inhibitor series, together with a crystal structure of a previously disclosed allosteric inhibitor bound to WNK1, led to an overlay hypothesis defining core and side-chain relationships across the different series. This in turn enabled an efficient optimization through scaffold morphing, resulting in compounds with a good balance of selectivity, cellular potency, and pharmacokinetic profile, which were suitable for in vivo proof-of-concept studies. When dosed orally, the optimized compound reduced blood pressure in mice overexpressing human WNK1, and induced diuresis, natriuresis and kaliuresis in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), confirming that this mechanism of inhibition of WNK kinase activity is effective at regulating cardiovascular homeostasis.

  10. Characterization of a Proteasome and TAP-independent Presentation of Intracellular Epitopes by HLA-B27 Molecules

    KAUST Repository

    Magnacca, A.

    2012-07-17

    Nascent HLA-class I molecules are stabilized by proteasome-derived peptides in the ER and the new complexes proceed to the cell surface through the post-ER vesicles. It has been shown, however, that less stable complexes can exchange peptides in the Trans Golgi Network (TGN). HLA-B27 are the most studied HLA-class I molecules due to their association with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). Chimeric proteins driven by TAT of HIV have been exploited by us to deliver viral epitopes, whose cross-presentation by the HLA-B27 molecules was proteasome and TAP-independent and not restricted to Antigen-Presenting Cells (APC). Here, using these chimeric proteins as epitope suppliers, we compared with each other and with the HLA-A2 molecules, the two HLA-B*2705 and B*2709 alleles differing at residue 116 (D116H) and differentially associated with AS. We found that the antigen presentation by the two HLA-B27 molecules was proteasome-, TAP-, and APC-independent whereas the presentation by the HLA-A2 molecules required proteasome, TAP and professional APC. Assuming that such difference could be due to the unpaired, highly reactive Cys-67 distinguishing the HLA-B27 molecules, C67S mutants in HLA-B*2705 and B*2709 and V67C mutant in HLA-A*0201 were also analyzed. The results showed that this mutation did not influence the HLA-A2-restricted antigen presentation while it drastically affected the HLA-B27-restricted presentation with, however, remarkable differences between B*2705 and B*2709. The data, together with the occurrence on the cell surface of unfolded molecules in the case of C67S-B*2705 mutant but not in that of C67S-B*2709 mutant, indicates that Cys-67 has a more critical role in stabilizing the B*2705 rather than the B*2709 complexes.

  11. Amyloid-β secretion, generation, and lysosomal sequestration in response to proteasome inhibition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Agholme, Lotta; Hallbeck, Martin; Benedikz, Eirikur

    2012-01-01

    , as the autophagosome has been suggested as a site of amyloid-β (Aβ) generation. In this study, we investigated the effect of proteasome inhibition on Aβ accumulation and secretion, as well as the processing of amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) in AβPP(Swe) transfected SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. We show...

  12. Retinoblastoma protein co-purifies with proteasomal insulin-degrading enzyme: Implications for cell proliferation control

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Radulescu, Razvan T., E-mail: ratura@gmx.net [Molecular Concepts Research (MCR), Muenster (Germany); Duckworth, William C. [Department of Medicine, Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ (United States); Levy, Jennifer L. [Research Service, Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ (United States); Fawcett, Janet, E-mail: janet.fawcett@va.gov [Research Service, Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ (United States)

    2010-04-30

    Previous investigations on proteasomal preparations containing insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE; EC 3.4.24.56) have invariably yielded a co-purifying protein with a molecular weight of about 110 kDa. We have now found both in MCF-7 breast cancer and HepG2 hepatoma cells that this associated molecule is the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (RB). Interestingly, the amount of RB in this protein complex seemed to be lower in HepG2 vs. MCF-7 cells, indicating a higher (cytoplasmic) protein turnover in the former vs. the latter cells. Moreover, immunofluorescence showed increased nuclear localization of RB in HepG2 vs. MCF-7 cells. Beyond these subtle differences between these distinct tumor cell types, our present study more generally suggests an interplay between RB and IDE within the proteasome that may have important growth-regulatory consequences.

  13. Can a native rodent species limit the invasive potential of a non-native rodent species in tropical agroforest habitats?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stuart, Alexander M; Prescott, Colin V; Singleton, Grant R

    2016-06-01

    Little is known about native and non-native rodent species interactions in complex tropical agroecosystems. We hypothesised that the native non-pest rodent Rattus everetti may be competitively dominant over the invasive pest rodent Rattus tanezumi within agroforests. We tested this experimentally by using pulse removal for three consecutive months to reduce populations of R. everetti in agroforest habitat, and assessed over 6 months the response of R. tanezumi and other rodent species. Following removal, R. everetti individuals rapidly immigrated into removal sites. At the end of the study period, R. tanezumi were larger and there was a significant shift in their microhabitat use with respect to the use of ground vegetation cover following the perturbation of R. everetti. Irrespective of treatment, R. tanezumi selected microhabitat with less tree canopy cover, indicative of severely disturbed habitat, whereas R. everetti selected microhabitat with a dense canopy. Our results suggest that sustained habitat disturbance in agroforests favours R. tanezumi, while the regeneration of agroforests towards a more natural state would favour native species and may reduce pest pressure in adjacent crops. In addition, the rapid recolonisation of R. everetti suggests this species would be able to recover from non-target impacts of short-term rodent pest control. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  14. 50Hz Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields Enhance Protein Carbonyl Groups Content in Cancer Cells: Effects on Proteasomal Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. M. Eleuteri

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Electromagnetic fields are an assessed cause of prolonging free radicals lifespan. This study was carried out to investigate the influence of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields on protein oxidation and on the 20S proteasome functionality, the complex responsible for the degradation of oxidized proteins. Caco 2 cells were exposed, for 24–72 hours, to 1 mT, 50 Hz electromagnetic fields. The treatment induced a time-dependent increase both in cell growth and in protein oxidation, more evident in the presence of TPA, while no changes in cell viability were detected. Exposing the cells to 50 Hz electromagnetic fields caused a global activation of the 20S proteasome catalytic components, particularly evident at 72 hours exposure and in the presence of TPA. The finding that EGCG, a natural antioxidant compound, counteracted the field-related pro-oxidant effects demonstrates that the increased proteasome activity was due to an enhancement in intracellular free radicals.

  15. Molecular mechanisms of bortezomib resistant adenocarcinoma cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erika Suzuki

    Full Text Available Bortezomib (Velcade™ is a reversible proteasome inhibitor that is approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM. Despite its demonstrated clinical success, some patients are deprived of treatment due to primary refractoriness or development of resistance during therapy. To investigate the role of the duration of proteasome inhibition in the anti-tumor response of bortezomib, we established clonal isolates of HT-29 adenocarcinoma cells adapted to continuous exposure of bortezomib. These cells were ~30-fold resistant to bortezomib. Two novel and distinct mutations in the β5 subunit, Cys63Phe, located distal to the binding site in a helix critical for drug binding, and Arg24Cys, found in the propeptide region were found in all resistant clones. The latter mutation is a natural variant found to be elevated in frequency in patients with MM. Proteasome activity and levels of both the constitutive and immunoproteasome were increased in resistant cells, which correlated to an increase in subunit gene expression. These changes correlated with a more rapid recovery of proteasome activity following brief exposure to bortezomib. Increased recovery rate was not due to increased proteasome turnover as similar findings were seen in cells co-treated with cycloheximide. When we exposed resistant cells to the irreversible proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib we noted a slower rate of recovery of proteasome activity as compared to bortezomib in both parental and resistant cells. Importantly, carfilzomib maintained its cytotoxic potential in the bortezomib resistant cell lines. Therefore, resistance to bortezomib, can be overcome with irreversible inhibitors, suggesting prolonged proteasome inhibition induces a more potent anti-tumor response.

  16. Testing the limits of Rodent Sperm Analysis: azoospermia in an otherwise healthy wild rodent population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tannenbaum, Lawrence V; Thran, Brandolyn H; Willams, Keith J

    2009-01-01

    By comparing the sperm parameters of small rodents trapped at contaminated terrestrial sites and nearby habitat-matched noncontaminated locations, the patent-pending Rodent Sperm Analysis (RSA) method provides a direct health status appraisal for the maximally chemical-exposed mammalian ecological receptor in the wild. RSA outcomes have consistently allowed for as definitive determinations of receptor health as are possible at the present time, thereby streamlining the ecological risk assessment (ERA) process. Here, we describe the unanticipated discovery, at a contaminated US EPA Superfund National Priorities List site, of a population of Hispid cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), with a high percentage of adult males lacking sperm entirely (azoospermia). In light of the RSA method's role in streamlining ERAs and in bringing contaminated Superfund-type site investigations to closure, we consider the consequences of the discovery. The two matters specifically discussed are (1) the computation of a population's average sperm count where azoospermia is present and (2) the merits of the RSA method and its sperm parameter thresholds-for-effect when azoospermia is masked in an otherwise apparently healthy rodent population.

  17. DNA-repair protein hHR23a alters its protein structure upon binding proteasomal subunit S5a

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walters, Kylie J.; Lech, Patrycja J.; Goh, Amanda M.; Wang, Qinghua; Howley, Peter M.

    2003-01-01

    The Rad23 family of proteins, including the human homologs hHR23a and hHR23b, stimulates nucleotide excision repair and has been shown to provide a novel link between proteasome-mediated protein degradation and DNA repair. In this work, we illustrate how the proteasomal subunit S5a regulates hHR23a protein structure. By using NMR spectroscopy, we have elucidated the structure and dynamic properties of the 40-kDa hHR23a protein and show it to contain four structured domains connected by flexible linker regions. In addition, we reveal that these domains interact in an intramolecular fashion, and by using residual dipolar coupling data in combination with chemical shift perturbation analysis, we present the hHR23a structure. By itself, hHR23a adopts a closed conformation defined by the interaction of an N-terminal ubiquitin-like domain with two ubiquitin-associated domains. Interestingly, binding of the proteasomal subunit S5a disrupts the hHR23a interdomain interactions and thereby causes it to adopt an opened conformation. PMID:14557549

  18. Response of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System to Memory Retrieval After Extended-Access Cocaine or Saline Self-Administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Craig T; Milovanovic, Mike; Christian, Daniel T; Loweth, Jessica A; Wolf, Marina E

    2015-12-01

    The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in the retrieval-induced destabilization of cocaine- and fear-related memories in Pavlovian paradigms. However, nothing is known about its role in memory retrieval after self-administration of cocaine, an operant paradigm, or how the length of withdrawal from cocaine may influence retrieval mechanisms. Here, we examined UPS activity after an extended-access cocaine self-administration regimen that leads to withdrawal-dependent incubation of cue-induced cocaine craving. Controls self-administered saline. In initial experiments, memory retrieval was elicited via a cue-induced seeking/retrieval test on withdrawal day (WD) 50-60, when craving has incubated. We found that retrieval of cocaine- and saline-associated memories produced similar increases in polyubiquitinated proteins in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), compared with rats that did not undergo a seeking/retrieval test. Measures of proteasome catalytic activity confirmed similar activation of the UPS after retrieval of saline and cocaine memories. However, in a subsequent experiment in which testing was conducted on WD1, proteasome activity in the NAc was greater after retrieval of cocaine memory than saline memory. Analysis of other brain regions confirmed that effects of cocaine memory retrieval on proteasome activity, relative to saline memory retrieval, depend on withdrawal time. These results, combined with prior studies, suggest that the relationship between UPS activity and memory retrieval depends on training paradigm, brain region, and time elapsed between training and retrieval. The observation that mechanisms underlying cocaine memory retrieval change depending on the age of the memory has implications for development of memory destabilization therapies for cue-induced relapse in cocaine addicts.

  19. Skeletal muscle myotubes of the severely obese exhibit altered ubiquitin-proteasome and autophagic/lysosomal proteolytic flux

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bollinger, Lance M.; Powell, Jonathan J. S.; Houmard, Joseph A.; Witczak, Carol A.; Brault, Jeffrey J.

    2015-01-01

    Objective Whole-body protein metabolism is dysregulated with obesity. Our goal was to determine if activity and expression of major protein degradation pathways are compromised specifically in human skeletal muscle with obesity. Methods We utilized primary Human Skeletal Muscle cell (HSkM) cultures since cellular mechanisms can be studied absent of hormones and contractile activity that could independently influence metabolism. HSkM from 10 lean (BMI ≤ 26.0 kg/m2) and 8 severely obese (BMI ≥ 39.0) women were examined basally and when stimulated to atrophy (serum and amino acid starvation). Results HSkM from obese donors had a lower proportion of type I myosin heavy chain and slower flux through the autophagic/lysosomal pathway. During starvation, flux through the ubiquitin-proteasome system diverged according to obesity status, with a decrease in the lean and an increase in HSkM from obese subjects. HSkMC from the obese also displayed elevated proteasome activity despite no difference in proteasome content. Atrophy-related gene expression and myotube area were similar in myotubes derived from lean and obese individuals under basal and starved conditions. Conclusions Our data indicate that muscle cells of the lean and severely obese have innate differences in management of protein degradation, which may explain their metabolic differences. PMID:26010327

  20. Forecasting rodent outbreaks in Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leirs, Herwig; Verhagen, Ron; Verheyen, Walter

    1996-01-01

    1. Rainfall data were collated for years preceding historical outbreaks of Mastomys rats in East Africa in order to test the hypothesis that such outbreaks occur after long dry periods. 2. Rodent outbreaks were generally not preceded by long dry periods. 3. Population dynamics of Mastomys...... natalensis rats in Tanzania are significantly affected by the distribution of rainfall during the rainy season. 4. All previous rodent outbreaks in Tanzania were preceded by abundant rainfall early in the rainy season, i.e, towards the end of the year. 5. A flow chart is constructed to assess the likelihood...

  1. Old World hantaviruses in rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cross, Robert W; Waffa, Bradley; Freeman, Ashley; Riegel, Claudia; Moses, Lina M; Bennett, Andrew; Safronetz, David; Fischer, Elizabeth R; Feldmann, Heinz; Voss, Thomas G; Bausch, Daniel G

    2014-05-01

    Seoul virus, an Old World hantavirus, is maintained in brown rats and causes a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in humans. We captured rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana and tested them for the presence of Old World hantaviruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with sequencing, cell culture, and electron microscopy; 6 (3.4%) of 178 rodents captured--all brown rats--were positive for a Seoul virus variant previously coined Tchoupitoulas virus, which was noted in rodents in New Orleans in the 1980s. The finding of Tchoupitoulas virus in New Orleans over 25 years since its first discovery suggests stable endemicity in the city. Although the degree to which this virus causes human infection and disease remains unknown, repeated demonstration of Seoul virus in rodent populations, recent cases of laboratory-confirmed HFRS in some US cities, and a possible link with hypertensive renal disease warrant additional investigation in both rodents and humans.

  2. Proteasomal degradation of ubiquitinated proteins in oocyte meiosis and fertilization in mammals

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Karabínová, Pavla; Kubelka, Michal; Šušor, Andrej

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 346, č. 1 (2011), s. 1-9 ISSN 0302-766X R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP502/10/0944; GA ČR(CZ) GD204/09/H084 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : Oocyte * Proteasome * Meiosis Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.114, year: 2011

  3. Silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles impair proteasome activity and increase the formation of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in vitro

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phukan, Geetika; Shin, Tae Hwan; Shim, Jeom Soon; Paik, Man Jeong; Lee, Jin-Kyu; Choi, Sangdun; Kim, Yong Man; Kang, Seong Ho; Kim, Hyung Sik; Kang, Yup; Lee, Soo Hwan; Mouradian, M. Maral; Lee, Gwang

    2016-01-01

    The potential toxicity of nanoparticles, particularly to neurons, is a major concern. In this study, we assessed the cytotoxicity of silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles containing rhodamine B isothiocyanate dye (MNPs@SiO2(RITC)) in HEK293 cells, SH-SY5Y cells, and rat primary cortical and dopaminergic neurons. In cells treated with 1.0 μg/μl MNPs@SiO2(RITC), the expression of several genes related to the proteasome pathway was altered, and proteasome activity was significantly reduced, compared with control and with 0.1 μg/μl MNPs@SiO2(RITC)-treated cells. Due to the reduction of proteasome activity, formation of cytoplasmic inclusions increased significantly in HEK293 cells over-expressing the α–synuclein interacting protein synphilin-1 as well as in primary cortical and dopaminergic neurons. Primary neurons, particularly dopaminergic neurons, were more vulnerable to MNPs@SiO2(RITC) than SH-SY5Y cells. Cellular polyamines, which are associated with protein aggregation, were significantly altered in SH-SY5Y cells treated with MNPs@SiO2(RITC). These findings highlight the mechanisms of neurotoxicity incurred by nanoparticles. PMID:27378605

  4. Lassa fever or lassa hemorrhagic fever risk to humans from rodent-borne zoonoses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Bahnasawy, Mamdouh M; Megahed, Laila Abdel-Mawla; Abdalla Saleh, Hala Ahmed; Morsy, Tosson A

    2015-04-01

    Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) typically manifest as rapidly progressing acute febrile syndromes with profound hemorrhagic manifestations and very high fatality rates. Lassa fever, an acute hemorrhagic fever characterized by fever, muscle aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and chest and abdominal pain. Rodents are important reservoirs of rodent-borne zoonosis worldwide. Transmission rodents to humans occur by aerosol spread, either from the genus Mastomys rodents' excreta (multimammate rat) or through the close contact with infected patients (nosocomial infection). Other rodents of the genera Rattus, Mus, Lemniscomys, and Praomys are incriminated rodents hosts. Now one may ask do the rodents' ectoparasites play a role in Lassa virus zoonotic transmission. This paper summarized the update knowledge on LHV; hopping it might be useful to the clinicians, nursing staff, laboratories' personals as well as those concerned zoonoses from rodents and rodent control.

  5. Neurobiology of rodent self-grooming and its value for translational neuroscience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalueff, Allan V; Stewart, Adam Michael; Song, Cai; Berridge, Kent C; Graybiel, Ann M; Fentress, John C

    2016-01-01

    Self-grooming is a complex innate behaviour with an evolutionarily conserved sequencing pattern and is one of the most frequently performed behavioural activities in rodents. In this Review, we discuss the neurobiology of rodent self-grooming, and we highlight studies of rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders--including models of autism spectrum disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder--that have assessed self-grooming phenotypes. We suggest that rodent self-grooming may be a useful measure of repetitive behaviour in such models, and therefore of value to translational psychiatry. Assessment of rodent self-grooming may also be useful for understanding the neural circuits that are involved in complex sequential patterns of action.

  6. Effects of Radiation on Proteasome Function in Prostate Cancer Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-02-01

    precursor [ Homo sapiens ] BCL2-associated athanogene 3 adhesion regulating molecule 1 precursor CD44 antigen heat shock 27kDa protein 1 DnaJ... feature of CICs that can easily be exploited to identify , track, and target them in vitro and in vivo . J Natl Cancer Inst 2009;101:1–10 Q1 Q5 JNCI...P = .055; Supplementary Figure 1, D and E, available online), indicating that reduced proteasome activity in CICs is a feature found across tumor

  7. Potential roles for ubiquitin and the proteasome during ribosome biogenesis

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Stavreva, D. A.; Kawasaki, M.; Dundr, M.; Koberna, Karel; Müller, W. G.; Tsujimura-Takahashi, T.; Komatsu, W.; Hayano, T.; Isobe, T.; Raška, Ivan; Misteli, T.; Takahashi, N.; McNally, J. G.

    2006-01-01

    Roč. 26, č. 13 (2006), s. 5131-5145 ISSN 0270-7306 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LC535; GA ČR(CZ) GA304/05/0374; GA ČR(CZ) GA304/04/0692 Grant - others:NIH(US) Intramural Research Program; Ministry of Education(JP) Pioneer Research grant Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : the role of the ubikvitin * proteasome system in ribosome biogenesis Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 6.773, year: 2006

  8. The age-dependent effects of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in humans and rodents: A review.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Olivier, J.D.A.; Blom, T.; Arentsen, T.; Homberg, J.R.

    2011-01-01

    The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) Prozac(R) (fluoxetine) is widely prescribed for the treatment of depression and anxiety-related disorders. While extensive research has established that fluoxetine is safe for adults, safety is not guaranteed for (unborn) children and adolescents.

  9. Timely activation of budding yeast APCCdh1 involves degradation of its inhibitor, Acm1, by an unconventional proteolytic mechanism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael Melesse

    Full Text Available Regulated proteolysis mediated by the ubiquitin proteasome system is a fundamental and essential feature of the eukaryotic cell division cycle. Most proteins with cell cycle-regulated stability are targeted for degradation by one of two related ubiquitin ligases, the Skp1-cullin-F box protein (SCF complex or the anaphase-promoting complex (APC. Here we describe an unconventional cell cycle-regulated proteolytic mechanism that acts on the Acm1 protein, an inhibitor of the APC activator Cdh1 in budding yeast. Although Acm1 can be recognized as a substrate by the Cdc20-activated APC (APCCdc20 in anaphase, APCCdc20 is neither necessary nor sufficient for complete Acm1 degradation at the end of mitosis. An APC-independent, but 26S proteasome-dependent, mechanism is sufficient for complete Acm1 clearance from late mitotic and G1 cells. Surprisingly, this mechanism appears distinct from the canonical ubiquitin targeting pathway, exhibiting several features of ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation. For example, Acm1 degradation in G1 requires neither lysine residues in Acm1 nor assembly of polyubiquitin chains. Acm1 was stabilized though by conditional inactivation of the ubiquitin activating enzyme Uba1, implying some requirement for the ubiquitin pathway, either direct or indirect. We identified an amino terminal predicted disordered region in Acm1 that contributes to its proteolysis in G1. Although ubiquitin-independent proteasome substrates have been described, Acm1 appears unique in that its sensitivity to this mechanism is strictly cell cycle-regulated via cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk phosphorylation. As a result, Acm1 expression is limited to the cell cycle window in which Cdk is active. We provide evidence that failure to eliminate Acm1 impairs activation of APCCdh1 at mitotic exit, justifying its strict regulation by cell cycle-dependent transcription and proteolytic mechanisms. Importantly, our results reveal that strict cell

  10. Timely Activation of Budding Yeast APCCdh1 Involves Degradation of Its Inhibitor, Acm1, by an Unconventional Proteolytic Mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melesse, Michael; Choi, Eunyoung; Hall, Hana; Walsh, Michael J.; Geer, M. Ariel; Hall, Mark C.

    2014-01-01

    Regulated proteolysis mediated by the ubiquitin proteasome system is a fundamental and essential feature of the eukaryotic cell division cycle. Most proteins with cell cycle-regulated stability are targeted for degradation by one of two related ubiquitin ligases, the Skp1-cullin-F box protein (SCF) complex or the anaphase-promoting complex (APC). Here we describe an unconventional cell cycle-regulated proteolytic mechanism that acts on the Acm1 protein, an inhibitor of the APC activator Cdh1 in budding yeast. Although Acm1 can be recognized as a substrate by the Cdc20-activated APC (APCCdc20) in anaphase, APCCdc20 is neither necessary nor sufficient for complete Acm1 degradation at the end of mitosis. An APC-independent, but 26S proteasome-dependent, mechanism is sufficient for complete Acm1 clearance from late mitotic and G1 cells. Surprisingly, this mechanism appears distinct from the canonical ubiquitin targeting pathway, exhibiting several features of ubiquitin-independent proteasomal degradation. For example, Acm1 degradation in G1 requires neither lysine residues in Acm1 nor assembly of polyubiquitin chains. Acm1 was stabilized though by conditional inactivation of the ubiquitin activating enzyme Uba1, implying some requirement for the ubiquitin pathway, either direct or indirect. We identified an amino terminal predicted disordered region in Acm1 that contributes to its proteolysis in G1. Although ubiquitin-independent proteasome substrates have been described, Acm1 appears unique in that its sensitivity to this mechanism is strictly cell cycle-regulated via cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) phosphorylation. As a result, Acm1 expression is limited to the cell cycle window in which Cdk is active. We provide evidence that failure to eliminate Acm1 impairs activation of APCCdh1 at mitotic exit, justifying its strict regulation by cell cycle-dependent transcription and proteolytic mechanisms. Importantly, our results reveal that strict cell-cycle expression profiles

  11. Mapping in vivo target interaction profiles of covalent inhibitors using chemical proteomics with label-free quantification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Rooden, Eva J; Florea, Bogdan I; Deng, Hui; Baggelaar, Marc P; van Esbroeck, Annelot C M; Zhou, Juan; Overkleeft, Herman S; van der Stelt, Mario

    2018-04-01

    Activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) has emerged as a valuable chemical proteomics method to guide the therapeutic development of covalent drugs by assessing their on-target engagement and off-target activity. We recently used ABPP to determine the serine hydrolase interaction landscape of the experimental drug BIA 10-2474, thereby providing a potential explanation for the adverse side effects observed with this compound. ABPP allows mapping of protein interaction landscapes of inhibitors in cells, tissues and animal models. Whereas our previous protocol described quantification of proteasome activity using stable-isotope labeling, this protocol describes the procedures for identifying the in vivo selectivity profile of covalent inhibitors with label-free quantitative proteomics. The optimization of our protocol for label-free quantification methods results in high proteome coverage and allows the comparison of multiple biological samples. We demonstrate our protocol by assessing the protein interaction landscape of the diacylglycerol lipase inhibitor DH376 in mouse brain, liver, kidney and testes. The stages of the protocol include tissue lysis, probe incubation, target enrichment, sample preparation, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) measurement, data processing and analysis. This approach can be used to study target engagement in a native proteome and to identify potential off targets for the inhibitor under investigation. The entire protocol takes at least 4 d, depending on the number of samples.

  12. Multiple Co-infections of Rodents with Hantaviruses, Leptospira, and Babesia in Croatia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turk, Nenad; Korva, Miša; Margaletić, Josip; Beck, Relja; Vucelja, Marko; Habuš, Josipa; Svoboda, Petra; Županc, Tatjana Avšič; Henttonen, Heikki; Markotić, Alemka

    2012-01-01

    Abstract Hantaviruses, Leptospira spp., and Babesia spp. are rodent-borne pathogens present worldwide. We studied multiple co-infections of small rodents in Croatia with all three pathogens. Twenty-eight Apodemus flavicollis and 16 Myodes glareolus were tested for the presence of hantavirus RNA by real-time RT-PCR, Leptospira strains by renoculture method and Babesia DNA by PCR. Anti-hantavirus antibodies and anti-Leptospira antibodies were detected by serological methods. Very high infection rates with each pathogen were found in A. flavicollis: 20 of 28 rodents (71%) were infected with Dobrava virus, 13 rodents (46%) were infected with Leptospira, and 5 rodents (18%) were infected with Babesia. Multiple co-infections with all three pathogens were found in 3 of 28 (11%) A. flavicollis animals, suggesting that the same rodent host can be infected with several pathogens at the same time. Dual infections with both hantaviruses and Leptospira were found in 7 of 44 rodents (16%), with hantaviruses and Babesia in 2 rodents (5%), and double infection with both Leptospira and Babesia were found in 1 rodent (2%). Since hantaviruses, Leptospira, and Babesia have similar geographical distributions, it is to be expected that in other parts of the world multiple co-infections, representing a serious threat to public health, can be found. PMID:22217170

  13. Bortezomib partially improves laminin α2 chain-deficient muscular dystrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Körner, Zandra; Fontes-Oliveira, Cibely C; Holmberg, Johan; Carmignac, Virginie; Durbeej, Madeleine

    2014-05-01

    Congenital muscular dystrophy, caused by mutations in LAMA2 (the gene encoding laminin α2 chain), is a severe and incapacitating disease for which no therapy is yet available. We have recently demonstrated that proteasome activity is increased in laminin α2 chain-deficient muscle and that treatment with the nonpharmaceutical proteasome inhibitor MG-132 reduces muscle pathology in laminin α2 chain-deficient dy(3K)/dy(3K) mice. Here, we explore the use of the selective and therapeutic proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (currently used for treatment of relapsed multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma) in dy(3K)/dy(3K) mice and in congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A muscle cells. Outcome measures included quantitative muscle morphology, gene and miRNA expression analyses, proteasome activity, motor activity, and survival. Bortezomib improved several histological hallmarks of disease, partially normalized miRNA expression (miR-1 and miR-133a), and enhanced body weight, locomotion, and survival of dy(3K)/dy(3K) mice. In addition, bortezomib reduced proteasome activity in congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A myoblasts and myotubes. These findings provide evidence that the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib partially reduces laminin α2 chain-deficient muscular dystrophy. Investigation of the clinical efficacy of bortezomib administration in congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A clinical trials may be warranted. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Artemisinin disrupts androgen responsiveness of human prostate cancer cells by stimulating the 26S proteasome-mediated degradation of the androgen receptor protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steely, Andrea M; Willoughby, Jamin A; Sundar, Shyam N; Aivaliotis, Vasiliki I; Firestone, Gary L

    2017-10-01

    Androgen receptor (AR) expression and activity is highly linked to the development and progression of prostate cancer and is a target of therapeutic strategies for this disease. We investigated whether the antimalarial drug artemisinin, which is a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the sweet wormwood plant Artemisia annua, could alter AR expression and responsiveness in cultured human prostate cancer cell lines. Artemisinin treatment induced the 26S proteasome-mediated degradation of the receptor protein, without altering AR transcript levels, in androgen-responsive LNCaP prostate cancer cells or PC-3 prostate cancer cells expressing exogenous wild-type AR. Furthermore, artemisinin stimulated AR ubiquitination and AR receptor interactions with the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2 in LNCaP cells. The artemisinin-induced loss of AR protein prevented androgen-responsive cell proliferation and ablated total AR transcriptional activity. The serine/threonine protein kinase AKT-1 was shown to be highly associated with artemisinin-induced proteasome-mediated degradation of AR protein. Artemisinin treatment activated AKT-1 enzymatic activity, enhanced receptor association with AKT-1, and induced AR serine phosphorylation. Treatment of LNCaP cells with the PI3-kinase inhibitor LY294002, which inhibits the PI3-kinase-dependent activation of AKT-1, prevented the artemisinin-induced AR degradation. Furthermore, in transfected receptor-negative PC-3 cells, artemisinin failed to stimulate the degradation of an altered receptor protein (S215A/S792A) with mutations in its two consensus AKT-1 serine phosphorylation sites. Taken together, our results indicate that artemisinin induces the degradation of AR protein and disrupts androgen responsiveness of human prostate cancer cells, suggesting that this natural compound represents a new potential therapeutic molecule that selectively targets AR levels.

  15. Regulation of mIκBNS stability through PEST-mediated degradation by proteasome

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Koog Chan; Jeong, Jiyeong; Kim, Keun Il, E-mail: kikim@sookmyung.ac.kr

    2014-01-24

    Highlights: • mIκBNS is degraded rapidly by proteasome without ubiquitylation. • N-terminal PEST sequence is responsible for the unstable nature of mIκBNS. • PEST sequence is not critical for nuclear localization of mIκBNS. • There is single bona fide NLS at the C-terminus of mIκBNS. - Abstract: Negative regulatory proteins in a cytokine signaling play a critical role in restricting unwanted excess activation of the signaling pathway. At the same time, negative regulatory proteins need to be removed rapidly from cells to respond properly to the next incoming signal. A nuclear IκB protein called IκBNS is known to inhibit a subset of NF-κB target genes upon its expression by NF-κB activation. Here, we show a mechanism to control the stability of mIκBNS which might be important for cells to prepare the next round signaling. We found that mIκBNS is a short-lived protein of which the stability is controlled by proteasome, independent of ubiquitylation process. We identified that the N-terminal PEST sequence in mIκBNS was critical for the regulation of stability.

  16. Effects of Commonly Used Pesticides in China on the Mitochondria and Ubiquitin-Proteasome System in Parkinson’s Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tingting Chen

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Evidence continues to accumulate that pesticides are the leading candidates of environmental toxins that may contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease. The mechanisms, however, remain largely unclear. According to epidemiological studies, we selected nine representative pesticides (paraquat, rotenone, chlorpyrifos, pendimethalin, endosulfan, fenpyroximate, tebufenpyrad, trichlorphon and carbaryl which are commonly used in China and detected the effects of the pesticides on mitochondria and ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS function. Our results reveal that all the nine studied pesticides induce morphological changes of mitochondria at low concentrations. Paraquat, rotenone, chlorpyrifos, pendimethalin, endosulfan, fenpyroximate and tebufenpyrad induced mitochondria fragmentation. Furthermore, some of them (paraquat, rotenone, chlorpyrifos, fenpyroximate and tebufenpyrad caused a significant dose-dependent decrease of intracellular ATP. Interestingly, these pesticides which induce mitochondria dysfunction also inhibit 26S and 20S proteasome activity. However, two out of the nine pesticides, namely trichlorphon and carbaryl, were found not to cause mitochondrial fragmentation or functional damage, nor inhibit the activity of the proteasome, which provides significant guidance for selection of pesticides in China. Moreover, our results demonstrate a potential link between inhibition of mitochondria and the UPS, and pesticide-induced Parkinsonism.

  17. Immunoproteasome in the blood plasma of children with acute appendicitis, and its correlation with proteasome and UCHL1 measured by SPR imaging biosensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matuszczak, E; Sankiewicz, A; Debek, W; Gorodkiewicz, E; Milewski, R; Hermanowicz, A

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determinate the immunoproteasome concentration in the blood plasma of children with appendicitis, and its correlation with circulating proteasome and ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1). Twenty-seven children with acute appendicitis, managed at the Paediatric Surgery Department, were included randomly into the study (age 2 years 9 months up to 14 years, mean age 9·5 ± 1 years). There were 10 girls and 17 boys; 18 healthy, age-matched subjects, admitted for planned surgeries served as controls. Mean concentrations of immunoproteasome, 20S proteasome and UCHL1 in the blood plasma of children with appendicitis before surgery 24 h and 72 h after the appendectomy were higher than in the control group. The immunoproteasome, 20S proteasome and UCHL1 concentrations in the blood plasma of patients with acute appendicitis were highest before surgery. The immunoproteasome, 20S proteasome and UCHL1 concentration measured 24 and 72 h after the operation decreased slowly over time and still did not reach the normal range (P appendicitis. © 2017 British Society for Immunology.

  18. Leptospira and rodents in Cambodia : environmental determinants of infection

    OpenAIRE

    Ivanova, S.; Herbreteau, Vincent; Blasdell, K.; Chaval, Y.; Buchy, P.; Guillard, B.; Morand, S.

    2012-01-01

    We investigated infection of rodents and shrews by Leptospira spp. in two localities of Cambodia (Veal Renh, Kaev Seima) and in four types of habitat (forests, non-flooded lands, lowland rain-fed paddy fields, houses) during the wet and the dry seasons. Habitat preference was common, and rodent and shrew species were found only in houses or in rain-fed paddy fields or in forests. Among 649 small mammals trapped belonging to 12 rodent species and 1 shrew species, 71 of 642 animals tested were ...

  19. Tularemia and plague survey in rodents in an earthquake zone in southeastern Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyuranecz, Miklós

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: Earthquakes are one the most common natural disasters that lead to increased mortality and morbidity from transmissible diseases, partially because the rodents displaced by an earthquake can lead to an increased rate of disease transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of plague and tularemia in rodents in the earthquake zones in southeastern Iran. METHODS: In April 2013, a research team was dispatched to explore the possible presence of diseases in rodents displaced by a recent earthquake magnitude 7.7 around the cities of Khash and Saravan in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Rodents were trapped near and in the earthquake zone, in a location where an outbreak of tularemia was reported in 2007. Rodent serums were tested for a serological survey using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: In the 13 areas that were studied, nine rodents were caught over a total of 200 trap-days. Forty-eight fleas and 10 ticks were obtained from the rodents. The ticks were from the Hyalomma genus and the fleas were from the Xenopsylla genus. All the trapped rodents were Tatera indica. Serological results were negative for plague, but the serum agglutination test was positive for tularemia in one of the rodents. Tatera indica has never been previously documented to be involved in the transmission of tularemia. CONCLUSIONS: No evidence of the plague cycle was found in the rodents of the area, but evidence was found of tularemia infection in rodents, as demonstrated by a positive serological test for tularemia in one rodent. PMID:26602769

  20. The bioeconomics of controlling an African rodent pest species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skonhoft, Anders; Leirs, Herwig; Andreassen, Harry P

    2006-01-01

    The paper treats the economy of controlling an African pest rodent, the multimammate rat, causing major damage in maize production. An ecological population model is presented and used as a basis for the economic analyses carried out at the village level using data from Tanzania. This model...... incorporates both density-dependent and density-independent (stochastic) factors. Rodents are controlled by applying poison, and the costs are made up of the cost of poison plus the damage to maize production. We analyse how the present-value costs of maize production are affected by various rodent control...

  1. Semi-Autonomous Rodent Habitat for Deep Space Exploration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alwood, J. S.; Shirazi-Fard, Y.; Pletcher, D.; Globus, R.

    2018-01-01

    NASA has flown animals to space as part of trailblazing missions and to understand the biological responses to spaceflight. Mice traveled in the Lunar Module with the Apollo 17 astronauts and now mice are frequent research subjects in LEO on the ISS. The ISS rodent missions have focused on unravelling biological mechanisms, better understanding risks to astronaut health, and testing candidate countermeasures. A critical barrier for longer-duration animal missions is the need for humans-in-the-loop to perform animal husbandry and perform routine tasks during a mission. Using autonomous or telerobotic systems to alleviate some of these tasks would enable longer-duration missions to be performed at the Deep Space Gateway. Rodent missions performed using the Gateway as a platform could address a number of critical risks identified by the Human Research Program (HRP), as well as Space Biology Program questions identified by NRC Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space, (2011). HRP risk areas of potentially greatest relevance that the Gateway rodent missions can address include those related to visual impairment (VIIP) and radiation risks to central nervous system, cardiovascular disease, as well as countermeasure testing. Space Biology focus areas addressed by the Gateway rodent missions include mechanisms and combinatorial effects of microgravity and radiation. The objectives of the work proposed here are to 1) develop capability for semi-autonomous rodent research in cis-lunar orbit, 2) conduct key experiments for testing countermeasures against low gravity and space radiation. The hardware and operations system developed will enable experiments at least one month in duration, which potentially could be extended to one year in duration. To gain novel insights into the health risks to crew of deep space travel (i.e., exposure to space radiation), results obtained from Gateway flight rodents can be compared to ground control groups and separate groups

  2. Study of hantavirus infection in captive breed colonies of wild rodents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    RC Oliveira

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available Wild sigmondontine rodents are known to be the reservoir of several serotypes of New World hantaviruses. The mechanism of viral transmission is by aerosol inhalation of the excreta from infected rodents. Considering that the captive breed colonies of various wild mammals may present a potencial risk for hantaviral transmission, we examined 85 speciemens of Thrichomys spp. (Echimyidae and 17 speciemens of Nectomys squamipes (Sigmodontinae from our colony for the presence of hantavirus infections. Blood samples were assayed for the presence of antibodies to Andes nucleocapsid antigen using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. Additionally, serum samples from workers previously exposed to wild rodents, in the laboratories where the study was conducted, were also tested by ELISA to investigate prevalence of anti-hantavirus IgG antibodies. All blood samples were negative for hantavirus antibodies. Although these results suggest that those rodent's colonies are hantavirus free, the work emphasizes the need for hantavirus serological monitoring in wild colonized rodents and secure handling potentially infected rodents as important biosafety measures.

  3. Thieving rodents as substitute dispersers of megafaunal seeds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansen, Patrick A.; Hirsch, Ben T.; Emsens, Willem-Jan; Zamora-Gutierrez, Veronica; Wikelski, Martin; Kays, Roland

    2012-01-01

    The Neotropics have many plant species that seem to be adapted for seed dispersal by megafauna that went extinct in the late Pleistocene. Given the crucial importance of seed dispersal for plant persistence, it remains a mystery how these plants have survived more than 10,000 y without their mutualist dispersers. Here we present support for the hypothesis that secondary seed dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents has facilitated the persistence of these large-seeded species. We used miniature radio transmitters to track the dispersal of reputedly megafaunal seeds by Central American agoutis, which scatter-hoard seeds in shallow caches in the soil throughout the forest. We found that seeds were initially cached at mostly short distances and then quickly dug up again. However, rather than eating the recovered seeds, agoutis continued to move and recache the seeds, up to 36 times. Agoutis dispersed an estimated 35% of seeds for >100 m. An estimated 14% of the cached seeds survived to the next year, when a new fruit crop became available to the rodents. Serial video-monitoring of cached seeds revealed that the stepwise dispersal was caused by agoutis repeatedly stealing and recaching each other’s buried seeds. Although previous studies suggest that rodents are poor dispersers, we demonstrate that communities of rodents can in fact provide highly effective long-distance seed dispersal. Our findings suggest that thieving scatter-hoarding rodents could substitute for extinct megafaunal seed dispersers of tropical large-seeded trees. PMID:22802644

  4. Amino acids and insulin act additively to regulate components of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in C2C12 myotubes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lomax Michael A

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The ubiquitin-proteasome system is the predominant pathway for myofibrillar proteolysis but a previous study in C2C12 myotubes only observed alterations in lysosome-dependent proteolysis in response to complete starvation of amino acids or leucine from the media. Here, we determined the interaction between insulin and amino acids in the regulation of myotube proteolysis Results Incubation of C2C12 myotubes with 0.2 × physiological amino acids concentration (0.2 × PC AA, relative to 1.0 × PC AA, significantly increased total proteolysis and the expression of 14-kDa E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme (p Conclusion In a C2C12 myotube model of myofibrillar protein turnover, amino acid limitation increases proteolysis in a ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent manner. Increasing amino acids or leucine alone, act additively with insulin to down regulate proteolysis and expression of components of ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. The effects of amino acids on proteolysis but not insulin and leucine, are blocked by inhibition of the mTOR signalling pathway.

  5. REGγ regulates ERα degradation via ubiquitin–proteasome pathway in breast cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chai, Fan; Liang, Yan [Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038 (China); Bi, Jiong [Laboratory of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yet-sen University, Guangzhou 510080 (China); Chen, Li; Zhang, Fan [Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038 (China); Cui, Youhong [Institute of Pathology and Southwest Cancer Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038 (China); Jiang, Jun, E-mail: jcbd@medmail.com.cn [Breast Disease Center, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038 (China)

    2015-01-02

    Highlights: • High expression of REGγ is correlated with ERα status and poor clinical features. • Cell growth, mobility and invasion are significantly impaired by REGγ knockdown. • REGγ indirectly regulates ERα protein expression. - Abstract: REGγ is a proteasome coactivator which regulates proteolytic activity in eukaryotic cells. Abundant lines of evidence have showed that REGγ is over expressed in a number of human carcinomas. However, its precise role in the pathogenesis of cancer is still unclear. In this study, by examining 200 human breast cancer specimens, we demonstrated that REGγ was highly expressed in breast cancers, and the expression of REGγ was positively correlated with breast cancer patient estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) status. Moreover, the expression of REGγ was found positively associated with poor clinical features and low survival rates in ERα positive breast cancer patients. Further cell culture studies using MCF7 and BT474 breast cancer cell lines showed that cell proliferation, motility, and invasion capacities were decreased significantly by REGγ knockdown. Lastly, we demonstrated that REGγ indirectly regulates the degradation of ERα protein via ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. In conclusion, our findings provide the evidence that REGγ expression was positively correlated with ERα status and poor clinical prognosis in ERα positive breast cancer patients. As well, we disclose a new connection between the two molecules that are both highly expressed in most breast cancer cases.

  6. The cleavage product of amyloid-β protein precursor sAβPPα modulates BAG3-dependent aggresome formation and enhances cellular proteasomal activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renziehausen, Jana; Hiebel, Christof; Nagel, Heike; Kundu, Arpita; Kins, Stefan; Kögel, Donat; Behl, Christian; Hajieva, Parvana

    2015-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the major age-associated form of dementia characterized by gradual cognitive decline. Aberrant cleavage of the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) is thought to play an important role in the pathology of this disease. Two principal AβPP processing pathways exist: amyloidogenic cleavage of AβPP resulting in production of the soluble N-terminal fragment sAβPPβ, amyloid-β (Aβ), which accumulates in AD brain, and the AβPP intracellular domain (AICD) sAβPPα, p3 and AICD are generated in the non-amyloidogenic pathway. Prevalence of amyloidogenic versus non-amyloidogenic processing leads to depletion of sAβPPα and an increase in Aβ. Although sAβPPα is a well-accepted neurotrophic protein, molecular effects of this fragment remains unknown. Different studies reported impaired protein degradation pathways in AD brain, pointing to a role of disturbed proteasomal activity in the pathogenesis of this disease. Here we studied the possible role of sAβPPα in Bag3-mediated selective macroautophagy and proteasomal degradation. Employing human IMR90 cells, HEK 293 cells, and primary neurons, we demonstrate that sAβPPα prevents the proteotoxic stress-induced increase of Bag3 at the protein and at the mRNA level indicating a transcriptional regulation. Intriguingly, p62 and LC3, two other key players of autophagy, were not affected. Moreover, the formation and the accumulation of disease-related protein aggregates were significantly reduced by sAβPPα. Interestingly, there was a significant increase of proteasomal activity by sAβPPα as demonstrated by using various proteasome substrates. Our findings demonstrate that sAβPPα modulates Bag3 expression, aggresome formation, and proteasomal activity, thereby providing first evidence for a function of sAβPPα in the regulation of proteostasis.

  7. No compelling evidence that sibutramine prolongs life in rodents despite providing a dose-dependent reduction in body weight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Daniel L.; Robertson, Henry; Desmond, Renee; Nagy, Tim R.; Allison, David B.

    2010-01-01

    Objective The health and longevity effects of body weight reduction resulting from exercise and caloric restriction in rodents are well known, but less is known about whether similar effects occur with weight reduction from the use of a pharmaceutical agent such as sibutramine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Results & Conclusion Using data from a two-year toxicology study of sibutramine in CD rats and CD-1 mice, despite a dose-dependent reduction in food intake and body weight in rats compared to controls, and a body weight reduction in mice at the highest dose, there was no compelling evidence for reductions in mortality rate. PMID:21079617

  8. The role of rodents in avian influenza outbreaks in poultry farms: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Velkers, Francisca C; Blokhuis, Simon J; Veldhuis Kroeze, Edwin J B; Burt, Sara A

    2017-12-01

    Wild migratory birds are associated with global avian influenza virus (AIV) spread. Although direct contact with wild birds and contaminated fomites is unlikely in modern non-free range poultry farms applying biosecurity measures, AIV outbreaks still occur. This suggests involvement of other intermediate factors for virus transmission between wild birds and poultry. This review describes current evidence of the potential role of rodents in AIV transmission from wild birds to poultry and between poultry houses. Rodents can be abundant around poultry houses, share their habitat with waterfowl and can readily enter poultry houses. Survival of AIV from waterfowl in poultry house surroundings and on the coat of rodents suggests that rodents are likely to act as mechanical vector. AIVs can replicate in rodents without adaptation, resulting in high viral titres in lungs and nasal turbinates, virus presence in nasal washes and saliva, and transmission to naïve contact animals. Therefore, active AIV shedding by infected rodents may play a role in transmission to poultry. Further field and experimental studies are needed to provide evidence for a role of rodents in AIV epidemiology. Making poultry houses rodent-proof and the immediate surroundings unattractive for rodents are recommended as preventive measures against possible AIV introduction.

  9. Immunoproteasome in animal models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chiao-Nan Joyce; Graber, Ted G; Bratten, Wendy M; Ferrington, Deborah A; Thompson, LaDora V

    2014-04-01

    Increased proteasome activity has been implicated in the atrophy and deterioration associated with dystrophic muscles of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). While proteasome inhibitors show promise in the attenuation of muscle degeneration, proteasome inhibition-induced toxicity was a major drawback of this therapeutic strategy. Inhibitors that selectively target the proteasome subtype that is responsible for the loss in muscle mass and quality would reduce side effects and be less toxic. This study examined proteasome activity and subtype populations, along with muscle function, morphology and damage in wild-type (WT) mice and two murine models of DMD, dystrophin-deficient (MDX) and dystrophin- and utrophin-double-knockout (DKO) mice. We found that immunoproteasome content was increased in dystrophic muscles while the total proteasome content was unchanged among the three genotypes of mice. Proteasome proteolytic activity was elevated in dystrophic muscles, especially in DKO mice. These mice also exhibited more severe muscle atrophy than either WT or MDX mice. Muscle damage and regeneration, characterized by the activity of muscle creatine kinase in the blood and the percentage of central nuclei were equally increased in dystrophic mice. Accordingly, the overall muscle function was similarly reduced in both dystrophic mice compared with WT. These data demonstrated that there was transformation of standard proteasomes to immunoproteasomes in dystrophic muscles. In addition, DKO that showed greatest increase in proteasome activities also demonstrated more severe atrophy compared with MDX and WT. These results suggest a putative role for the immunoproteasome in muscle deterioration associated with DMD and provide a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

  10. Synergism between arsenite and proteasome inhibitor MG132 over cell death in myeloid leukaemic cells U937 and the induction of low levels of intracellular superoxide anion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lombardo, Tomás; Cavaliere, Victoria; Costantino, Susana N.; Kornblihtt, Laura; Alvarez, Elida M.; Blanco, Guillermo A.

    2012-01-01

    Increased oxygen species production has often been cited as a mechanism determining synergism on cell death and growth inhibition effects of arsenic-combined drugs. However the net effect of drug combination may not be easily anticipated solely from available knowledge of drug-induced death mechanisms. We evaluated the combined effect of sodium arsenite with the proteasome inhibitor MG132, and the anti-leukaemic agent CAPE, on growth-inhibition and cell death effect in acute myeloid leukaemic cells U937 and Burkitt's lymphoma-derived Raji cells, by the Chou–Talalay method. In addition we explored the association of cytotoxic effect of drugs with changes in intracellular superoxide anion (O 2 − ) levels. Our results showed that combined arsenite + MG132 produced low levels of O 2 − at 6 h and 24 h after exposure and were synergic on cell death induction in U937 cells over the whole dose range, although the combination was antagonistic on growth inhibition effect. Exposure to a constant non-cytotoxic dose of 80 μM hydrogen peroxide together with arsenite + MG132 changed synergism on cell death to antagonism at all effect levels while increasing O 2 − levels. Arsenite + hydrogen peroxide also resulted in antagonism with increased O 2 − levels in U937 cells. In Raji cells, arsenite + MG132 also produced low levels of O 2 − at 6 h and 24 h but resulted in antagonism on cell death and growth inhibition. By contrast, the combination arsenite + CAPE showed high levels of O 2 − production at 6 h and 24 h post exposure but resulted in antagonism over cell death and growth inhibition effects in U937 and Raji cells. We conclude that synergism between arsenite and MG132 in U937 cells is negatively associated to O 2 − levels at early time points after exposure. -- Highlights: ► Arsenic combined cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects by Chou–Talalay method. ► Cytotoxic effect associated with superoxide levels as assessed by flow cytometry. ► Synergism

  11. On the Trails of the Proteasome Fold: Structural and Functional Analysis of the Ancestral β-Subunit Protein Anbu.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vielberg, Marie-Theres; Bauer, Verena C; Groll, Michael

    2018-03-02

    The 20S proteasome is a key player in eukaryotic and archaeal protein degradation, but its progenitor in eubacteria is unknown. Recently, the ancestral β-subunit protein (Anbu) was predicted to be the evolutionary precursor of the proteasome. We crystallized Anbu from Hyphomicrobium sp. strain MC1 in four different space groups and solved the structures by SAD-phasing and Patterson search calculation techniques. Our data reveal that Anbu adopts the classical fold of Ntn-hydrolases, but its oligomeric state differs from that of barrel-shaped proteases. In contrast to their typical architecture, the Anbu protomer is a tightly interacting dimer that can assemble into a helical superstructure. Although Anbu features a catalytic triad of Thr1O γ , Asp17O δ1 and Lys32N ε , it is unable to hydrolyze standard protease substrates. The lack of activity might be caused by the incapacity of Thr1NH 2 to function as a Brønsted acid during substrate cleavage due to its missing activation via hydrogen bonding. Altogether, we demonstrate that the topology of the proteasomal fold is conserved in Anbu, but whether it acts as a protease still needs to be clarified. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Human Antiviral Protein IFIX Suppresses Viral Gene Expression during Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) Infection and Is Counteracted by Virus-induced Proteasomal Degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crow, Marni S; Cristea, Ileana M

    2017-04-01

    The interferon-inducible protein X (IFIX), a member of the PYHIN family, was recently recognized as an antiviral factor against infection with herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). IFIX binds viral DNA upon infection and promotes expression of antiviral cytokines. How IFIX exerts its host defense functions and whether it is inhibited by the virus remain unknown. Here, we integrated live cell microscopy, proteomics, IFIX domain characterization, and molecular virology to investigate IFIX regulation and antiviral functions during HSV-1 infection. We find that IFIX has a dynamic localization during infection that changes from diffuse nuclear and nucleoli distribution in uninfected cells to discrete nuclear puncta early in infection. This is rapidly followed by a reduction in IFIX protein levels. Indeed, using immunoaffinity purification and mass spectrometry, we define IFIX interactions during HSV-1 infection, finding an association with a proteasome subunit and proteins involved in ubiquitin-proteasome processes. Using synchronized HSV-1 infection, microscopy, and proteasome-inhibition experiments, we demonstrate that IFIX co-localizes with nuclear proteasome puncta shortly after 3 h of infection and that its pyrin domain is rapidly degraded in a proteasome-dependent manner. We further demonstrate that, in contrast to several other host defense factors, IFIX degradation is not dependent on the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of the viral protein ICP0. However, we show IFIX degradation requires immediate-early viral gene expression, suggesting a viral host suppression mechanism. The IFIX interactome also demonstrated its association with transcriptional regulatory proteins, including the 5FMC complex. We validate this interaction using microscopy and reciprocal isolations and determine it is mediated by the IFIX HIN domain. Finally, we show IFIX suppresses immediate-early and early viral gene expression during infection. Altogether, our study demonstrates that IFIX antiviral

  13. Towards sustainable management of rodents in organic animal husbandry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meerburg, B.G.; Bonde, M.; Brom, F.W.A.; Endepols, S.; Jensen, A.N.; Leirs, H.; Lodal, J.; Singleton, G.R.; Pelz, H.J.; Rodenburg, T.B.; Kijlstra, A.

    2004-01-01

    From 26 to 28 May 2004 an international seminar was held in Wageningen, the Netherlands, about current knowledge and advice on rodent management on organic pig and poultry farms in Western Europe. This paper summarizes the discussions. Rodent management is necessary to protect the food production

  14. Simplified methods for in vivo measurement of acetylcholinesterase activity in rodent brain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kilbourn, Michael R.; Sherman, Phillip S.; Snyder, Scott E.

    1999-01-01

    Simplified methods for in vivo studies of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in rodent brain were evaluated using N-[ 11 C]methylpiperidinyl propionate ([ 11 C]PMP) as an enzyme substrate. Regional mouse brain distributions were determined at 1 min (representing initial brain uptake) and 30 min (representing trapped product) after intravenous [ 11 C]PMP administration. Single time point tissue concentrations (percent injected dose/gram at 30 min), tissue concentration ratios (striatum/cerebellum and striatum/cortex ratios at 30 min), and regional tissue retention fractions (defined as percent injected dose 30 min/percent injected dose 1 min) were evaluated as measures of AChE enzymatic activity in mouse brain. Studies were carried out in control animals and after dosing with phenserine, a selective centrally active AChE inhibitor; neostigmine, a peripheral cholinesterase inhibitor; and a combination of the two drugs. In control and phenserine-treated animals, absolute tissue concentrations and regional retention fractions provide good measures of dose-dependent inhibition of brain AChE; tissue concentration ratios, however, provide erroneous conclusions. Peripheral inhibition of cholinesterases, which changes the blood pharmacokinetics of the radiotracer, diminishes the sensitivity of all measures to detect changes in central inhibition of the enzyme. We conclude that certain simple measures of AChE hydrolysis rates for [ 11 C]PMP are suitable for studies where alterations of the peripheral blood metabolism of the tracer are kept to a minimum

  15. BRK targets Dok1 for ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation to promote cell proliferation and migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sayem Miah

    Full Text Available Breast tumor kinase (BRK, also known as protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6, is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in more that 60% of human breast carcinomas. The overexpression of BRK has been shown to sensitize mammary epithelial cells to mitogenic signaling and to promote cell proliferation and tumor formation. The molecular mechanisms of BRK have been unveiled by the identification and characterization of BRK target proteins. Downstream of tyrosine kinases 1 or Dok1 is a scaffolding protein and a substrate of several tyrosine kinases. Herein we show that BRK interacts with and phosphorylates Dok1 specifically on Y362. We demonstrate that this phosphorylation by BRK significantly downregulates Dok1 in a ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated mechanism. Together, these results suggest a novel mechanism of action of BRK in the promotion of tumor formation, which involves the targeting of tumor suppressor Dok1 for degradation through the ubiquitin proteasomal pathway.

  16. BRK targets Dok1 for ubiquitin-mediated proteasomal degradation to promote cell proliferation and migration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miah, Sayem; Goel, Raghuveera Kumar; Dai, Chenlu; Kalra, Natasha; Beaton-Brown, Erika; Bagu, Edward T; Bonham, Keith; Lukong, Kiven E

    2014-01-01

    Breast tumor kinase (BRK), also known as protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6), is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase overexpressed in more that 60% of human breast carcinomas. The overexpression of BRK has been shown to sensitize mammary epithelial cells to mitogenic signaling and to promote cell proliferation and tumor formation. The molecular mechanisms of BRK have been unveiled by the identification and characterization of BRK target proteins. Downstream of tyrosine kinases 1 or Dok1 is a scaffolding protein and a substrate of several tyrosine kinases. Herein we show that BRK interacts with and phosphorylates Dok1 specifically on Y362. We demonstrate that this phosphorylation by BRK significantly downregulates Dok1 in a ubiquitin-proteasome-mediated mechanism. Together, these results suggest a novel mechanism of action of BRK in the promotion of tumor formation, which involves the targeting of tumor suppressor Dok1 for degradation through the ubiquitin proteasomal pathway.

  17. Population dynamics of Rodents and Insectivores in lowland tropical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The community structure of rodents and insectivores in the lowland tropical rainforest of Okomu National Park, Edo State, Nigeria was assessed using a combination of live-trapping and sighting techniques during the dry and wet seasons. Seventeen species (14 species of rodent, 3 species of insectivores) were captured, ...

  18. Multiple infections of rodents with zoonotic pathogens in Austria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Sabrina; Essbauer, Sandra S; Mayer-Scholl, Anne; Poppert, Sven; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Klempa, Boris; Henning, Klaus; Schares, Gereon; Groschup, Martin H; Spitzenberger, Friederike; Richter, Dania; Heckel, Gerald; Ulrich, Rainer G

    2014-07-01

    Rodents are important reservoirs for a large number of zoonotic pathogens. We examined the occurrence of 11 viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents in rodent populations in Austria, including three different hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox virus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Toxoplasma gondii. In 2008, 110 rodents of four species (40 Clethrionomys glareolus, 29 Apodemus flavicollis, 26 Apodemus sylvaticus, and 15 Microtus arvalis) were trapped at two rural sites in Lower Austria. Chest cavity fluid and samples of lung, spleen, kidney, liver, brain, and ear pinna skin were collected. We screened selected tissue samples for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, Leptospira, Borrelia, Rickettsia, Bartonella spp., C. burnetii, and T. gondii by RT-PCR/PCR and detected nucleic acids of Tula hantavirus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia afzelii, Rickettsia spp., and different Bartonella species. Serological investigations were performed for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, and Rickettsia spp. Here, Dobrava-Belgrade hantavirus-, Tula hantavirus-, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-, orthopox virus-, and rickettsia-specific antibodies were demonstrated. Puumala hantavirus, C. burnetii, and T. gondii were neither detected by RT-PCR/PCR nor by serological methods. In addition, multiple infections with up to three pathogens were shown in nine animals of three rodent species from different trapping sites. In conclusion, these results show that rodents in Austria may host multiple zoonotic pathogens. Our observation raises important questions regarding the interactions of different pathogens in the host, the countermeasures of the host's immune system, the impact of the host-pathogen interaction on the fitness of the host, and the spread of infectious agents among wild rodents and from those to other animals or humans.

  19. Gpn3 is polyubiquitinated on lysine 216 and degraded by the proteasome in the cell nucleus in a Gpn1-inhibitable manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Méndez-Hernández, Lucía E; Robledo-Rivera, Angelica Y; Macías-Silva, Marina; Calera, Mónica R; Sánchez-Olea, Roberto

    2017-11-01

    Gpn1 associates with Gpn3, and both are required for RNA polymerase II nuclear targeting. Global studies have identified by mass spectrometry that human Gpn3 is ubiquitinated on lysines 189 and 216. Our goals here were to determine the type, physiological importance, and regulation of Gpn3 ubiquitination. After inhibiting the proteasome with MG132, Gpn3-Flag was polyubiquitinated on K216, but not K189, in HEK293T cells. Gpn3-Flag exhibited nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling, but polyubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of Gpn3-Flag occurred only in the cell nucleus. Polyubiquitination-deficient Gpn3-Flag K216R displayed a longer half-life than Gpn3-Flag in two cell lines. Interestingly, Gpn1-EYFP inhibited Gpn3-Flag polyubiquitination in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, Gpn1-inhibitable, nuclear polyubiquitination on lysine 216 regulates the half-life of Gpn3 by tagging it for proteasomal degradation. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  20. Farmer survey in the hinterland of Kisangani (Democratic Republic of Congo) on rodent crop damage and rodent control techniques used

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Drazo, Nicaise Amundala; Kennis, Jan; Leirs, Herwig

    2008-01-01

    We conducted a survey on rodent crop damage among farmers in the hinterland of Kisangani (Democratic Republic of Congo). We studied the amount of crop damage, the rodent groups causing crop damage, the growth stages affected and the control techniques used. We conducted this survey in three...... municipalities using a standard questionnaire form translated into local languages, between November 2005 and June 2006 and during July 2007. We used the Quotas method and interviewed 70 households per municipality. Farmers indicated rodent groups implicated in crop damage on color photographs. Two types...... of survey techniques were used: individual and focus-group surveys. The sugar cane rat, Thryonomys sp. and Lemniscomys striatus caused most damage to crops, but inside granaries, Rattus rattus was the primary pest species eating stored food supplies and causing damage to stored goods. Cassava and maize were...

  1. MR microscopy of the lung in small rodents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, Masaya; Kubo, Shigeto; Kiryu, Shigeru; Gee, James; Hatabu, Hiroto

    2007-01-01

    Understanding how the mammalian respiratory system works and how it changes in disease states and under the influence of drugs is frequently pursued in model systems such as small rodents. These have many advantages, including being easily obtained in large numbers as purebred strains. Studies in small rodents are valuable for proof of concept studies and for increasing our knowledge about disease mechanisms. Since the recent developments in the generation of genetically designed animal models of disease, one needs the ability to assess morphology and function in in vivo systems. In this article, we first review previous reports regarding thoracic imaging. We then discuss approaches to take in making use of small rodents to increase MR microscopic sensitivity for these studies and to establish MR methods for clinically relevant lung imaging

  2. Ecology of rodents at an old quarry in Zambia

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Ecology of rodents at an old quarry in Zambia. E.N. Chidumayo. Livingstone Museum, Zambia. An old quarry, 2,5 hain size near Livingstone in southern. Zambia was kill- and live-trapped between September 1974 and December 1976 to determine ecological relations among. rodent species inhabiting it. Seven species ...

  3. Sleep in the Cape Mole Rat: A Short-Sleeping Subterranean Rodent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruger, Jean-Leigh; Gravett, Nadine; Bhagwandin, Adhil; Bennett, Nigel C; Archer, Elizabeth K; Manger, Paul R

    2016-01-01

    The Cape mole rat Georychus capensis is a solitary subterranean rodent found in the western and southern Cape of South Africa. This approximately 200-gram bathyergid rodent shows a nocturnal circadian rhythm, but sleep in this species is yet to be investigated. Using telemetric recordings of the electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) in conjunction with video recordings, we were able to show that the Cape mole rat, like all other rodents, has sleep periods composed of both rapid eye movement (REM) and slow-wave (non-REM) sleep. These mole rats spent on average 15.4 h awake, 7.1 h in non-REM sleep and 1.5 h in REM sleep each day. Cape mole rats sleep substantially less than other similarly sized terrestrial rodents but have a similar percentage of total sleep time occupied by REM sleep. In addition, the duration of both non-REM and REM sleep episodes was markedly shorter in the Cape mole rat than has been observed in terrestrial rodents. Interestingly, these features (total sleep time and episode duration) are similar to those observed in another subterranean bathyergid mole rat, i.e. Fukomys mechowii. Thus, there appears to be a bathyergid type of sleep amongst the rodents that may be related to their environment and the effect of this on their circadian rhythm. Investigating further species of bathyergid mole rats may fully define the emerging picture of sleep in these subterranean African rodents. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Nanobody-Directed Specific Degradation of Proteins by the 26S-Proteasome in Plants

    OpenAIRE

    Baudisch, Bianca; Pfort, Ingrid; Sorge, Eberhard; Conrad, Udo

    2018-01-01

    Here, we present data showing the directed degradation of target proteins recognized by a specific nanobody in transgenic plants. Green fluorescent protein was depleted by a chimeric nanobody fused to a distinct F-box domain, which enables protein degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. This technique could thus be used to knock out other proteins of interest in planta using specific, high-affinity binding proteins.

  5. Nanobody-Directed Specific Degradation of Proteins by the 26S-Proteasome in Plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baudisch, Bianca; Pfort, Ingrid; Sorge, Eberhard; Conrad, Udo

    2018-01-01

    Here, we present data showing the directed degradation of target proteins recognized by a specific nanobody in transgenic plants. Green fluorescent protein was depleted by a chimeric nanobody fused to a distinct F-box domain, which enables protein degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. This technique could thus be used to knock out other proteins of interest in planta using specific, high-affinity binding proteins.

  6. Natural Intestinal Protozoa in Rodents (Rodentia: Gerbillinae, Murinae, Cricetinae in Northwestern Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mehdi MOHEBALI

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Majority of parasitic infections in rodents have zoonotic importance. This study aimed to determine the frequency and intensity of intestinal protozoa infections of rodents including Meriones persicus, Mus musculus and, Cricetulus migratorius.Methods: This survey was conducted in Meshkin Shahr district in northwestern Iran from Mar. to Dec. of 2014. Intestinal samples of 204 rodents including M. persicus (n=117, M. musculus (n=63 and C. migratorius (n=24 were parasitologically examined. Formalin-ether concentration method was done for all of rodents stool samples and observed with light microscope. All of suspected cases were stained with trichorome staining Method. Cultivation in dichromate potassium 2.5% was carried out for all of coccidian positive samples. Acid fast and aniline blue staining methods were used for detecting of coccidian oocysts and intestinal microsporidial spores, respectively.Results: About 121(59.3% of the caught rodents were generally infected with intestinal protozoa. Entamoeba muris 14(6.9%, Trichomonas muris 55(27.0%, Chilomastix betencourtti 17 (8.3%, Giardia muris 19(9.3%, Eimeria spp. 46(22.5%, Isospora spp. 4(2% and Cryptosporidium spp. 1(0.5% were found from the collected rodents. Microsporidian spores were identified in 63 (31% out of the 204 collected rodents using aniline blue staining method.Conclusion: Since some of the infections are zoonotic importance thus, control of rodents can be decreased new cases of the parasitic zoonoses in humans.

  7. Natural Intestinal Protozoa in Rodents (Rodentia: Gerbillinae, Murinae, Cricetinae) in Northwestern Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    MOHEBALI, Mehdi; ZAREI, Zabiholah; Khanaliha, Khadijeh; KIA, Eshrat Beigom; MOTAVALLI-HAGHI, Afsaneh; DAVOODI, Jaber; REZAEIAN, Tahereh; TARIGHI, Fathemeh; REZAEIAN, Mostafa

    2017-01-01

    Background: Majority of parasitic infections in rodents have zoonotic importance. This study aimed to determine the frequency and intensity of intestinal protozoa infections of rodents including Meriones persicus, Mus musculus and, Cricetulus migratorius. Methods: This survey was conducted in Meshkin Shahr district in northwestern Iran from Mar. to Dec. of 2014. Intestinal samples of 204 rodents including M. persicus (n=117), M. musculus (n=63) and C. migratorius (n=24) were parasitologically examined. Formalin-ether concentration method was done for all of rodents stool samples and observed with light microscope. All of suspected cases were stained with trichorome staining Method. Cultivation in dichromate potassium 2.5% was carried out for all of coccidian positive samples. Acid fast and aniline blue staining methods were used for detecting of coccidian oocysts and intestinal microsporidial spores, respectively. Results: About 121(59.3%) of the caught rodents were generally infected with intestinal protozoa. Entamoeba muris 14(6.9%), Trichomonas muris 55(27.0%), Chilomastix betencourtti 17 (8.3%), Giardia muris 19(9.3%), Eimeria spp. 46(22.5%), Isospora spp. 4(2%) and Cryptosporidium spp. 1(0.5%) were found from the collected rodents. Microsporidian spores were identified in 63 (31%) out of the 204 collected rodents using aniline blue staining method. Conclusion: Since some of the infections are zoonotic importance thus, control of rodents can be decreased new cases of the parasitic zoonoses in humans. PMID:28979348

  8. Proteasome-mediated degradation of cell division cycle 25C and cyclin-dependent kinase 1 in phenethyl isothiocyanate-induced G2-M-phase cell cycle arrest in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Dong; Johnson, Candace S; Trump, Donald L; Singh, Shivendra V

    2004-05-01

    Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a constituent of many cruciferous vegetables, offers significant protection against cancer in animals induced by a variety of carcinogens. The present study demonstrates that PEITC suppresses proliferation of PC-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner by causing G(2)-M-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Interestingly, phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC), which is a structural analogue of PEITC but lacks the -CH(2) spacers that link the aromatic ring to the -N=C=S group, neither inhibited PC-3 cell viability nor caused cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. These results indicated that even a subtle change in isothiocyanate (ITC) structure could have a significant impact on its biological activity. The PEITC-induced cell cycle arrest was associated with a >80% reduction in the protein levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) and cell division cycle 25C (Cdc25C; 24 h after treatment with 10 micro M PEITC), which led to an accumulation of Tyr(15) phosphorylated (inactive) Cdk1. On the other hand, PITC treatment neither reduced protein levels of Cdk1 or Cdc25C nor affected Cdk1 phosphorylation. The PEITC-induced decline in Cdk1 and Cdc25C protein levels and cell cycle arrest were significantly blocked on pretreatment of PC-3 cells with proteasome inhibitor lactacystin. A 24 h exposure of PC-3 cells to 10 micro M PEITC, but not PITC, resulted in about 56% and 44% decrease in the levels of antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L), respectively. However, ectopic expression of Bcl-2 failed to alter sensitivity of PC-3 cells to growth inhibition or apoptosis induction by PEITC. Treatment of cells with PEITC, but not PITC, also resulted in cleavage of procaspase-3, procaspase-9, and procaspase-8. Moreover, the PEITC-induced apoptosis was significantly attenuated in the presence of general caspase inhibitor and specific inhibitors of caspase-8 and caspase-9. In conclusion, our data indicate that PEITC-induced cell cycle arrest in PC-3 cells is likely due

  9. Early Eocene rodents (Mammalia) from the Subathu Formation of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    1997a, b). Most of the rodents from this stratigraphic level have been referred to a rather diverse family Cha- pattimyidae ... Herein we describe a new early Eocene rodent assemblage .... thick zone of brownish red shales that occur as a ..... 1997b;. Plate 3, figure 31). ...... northwestern Pakistan and remarks on the collision.

  10. Research Note. Occurrence of gastrointestinal helminths in commensal rodents from Tabasco, Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cigarroa-Toledo N.

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and species composition of helminths in commensal rodents captured inside private residences in the city of Villahermosa in Tabasco, Mexico. Trapping was performed at each house for three consecutive nights from October to December 2015. Fifty commensal rodents were captured: 23 Rattus norvegicus, 16 Mus musculus and 11 Rattus rattus. Rodents were transported alive to the laboratory and held in cages until they defecated. Feces were analyzed for helminth eggs using the Sheather’s flotation technique. The overall prevalence of helminths in rodents was 60 %: R. norvegicus was more likely to be parasitized (87.0 % than R. rattus (63.6 % and M. musculus (18.8 %. Eggs from at least 13 species of helminths were identified: Hymenolepis diminuta, Rodentolepis nana, Moniliformis moniliformis, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Heterakis spumosa, Mastophorus muris, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, Strongyloides ratti, Syphacia obvelata, Syphacia muris, Toxocara sp., Trichosomoides crassicauda, and Trichuris muris. This is the first study to report the presence of H. polygyrus, S. ratti and T. crassicauda in commensal rodents in Mexico. In conclusion, our results suggest that helminths commonly infect commensal rodents in Villahermosa and therefore rodents present a health risk to inhabitants in this region.

  11. CTL escape mediated by proteasomal destruction of an HIV-1 cryptic epitope.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sylvain Cardinaud

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTLs play a critical role in controlling viral infections. HIV-infected individuals develop CTL responses against epitopes derived from viral proteins, but also against cryptic epitopes encoded by viral alternative reading frames (ARF. We studied here the mechanisms of HIV-1 escape from CTLs targeting one such cryptic epitope, Q9VF, encoded by an HIVgag ARF and presented by HLA-B*07. Using PBMCs of HIV-infected patients, we first cloned and sequenced proviral DNA encoding for Q9VF. We identified several polymorphisms with a minority of proviruses encoding at position 5 an aspartic acid (Q9VF/5D and a majority encoding an asparagine (Q9VF/5N. We compared the prevalence of each variant in PBMCs of HLA-B*07+ and HLA-B*07- patients. Proviruses encoding Q9VF/5D were significantly less represented in HLA-B*07+ than in HLA-B*07- patients, suggesting that Q9FV/5D encoding viruses might be under selective pressure in HLA-B*07+ individuals. We thus analyzed ex vivo CTL responses directed against Q9VF/5D and Q9VF/5N. Around 16% of HLA-B*07+ patients exhibited CTL responses targeting Q9VF epitopes. The frequency and the magnitude of CTL responses induced with Q9VF/5D or Q9VF/5N peptides were almost equal indicating a possible cross-reactivity of the same CTLs on the two peptides. We then dissected the cellular mechanisms involved in the presentation of Q9VF variants. As expected, cells infected with HIV strains encoding for Q9VF/5D were recognized by Q9VF/5D-specific CTLs. In contrast, Q9VF/5N-encoding strains were neither recognized by Q9VF/5N- nor by Q9VF/5D-specific CTLs. Using in vitro proteasomal digestions and MS/MS analysis, we demonstrate that the 5N variation introduces a strong proteasomal cleavage site within the epitope, leading to a dramatic reduction of Q9VF epitope production. Our results strongly suggest that HIV-1 escapes CTL surveillance by introducing mutations leading to HIV ARF-epitope destruction by proteasomes.

  12. SUMOylation of Blimp-1 promotes its proteasomal degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shimshon, Livnat; Michaeli, Avital; Hadar, Rivka; Nutt, Stephen L; David, Yael; Navon, Ami; Waisman, Ari; Tirosh, Boaz

    2011-08-04

    B lymphocyte induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1) is a transcription repressor of the Krueppel-like family. Blimp-1 plays important roles in developmental processes, such as of germ cells and hair follicle stem cells. In B lymphocytes Blimp-1 orchestrates the terminal differentiation into plasma cells. We discovered that Blimp-1 undergoes SUMOylation by SUMO-1. This SUMOylation is modulated by the SUMO protease SENP1. While Blimp-1 is relatively stable in 293T cells, a fusion with SUMO1 rendered it to rapid proteasomal degradation. Increase in SENP1 activity stabilized Blimp-1, while a decrease promoted its degradation. Our data indicate that SUMOylation of Blimp-1 regulates its intracellular stability. Copyright © 2011 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Proteasome Inhibition Contributed to the Cytotoxicity of Arenobufagin after Its Binding with Na, K-ATPase in Human Cervical Carcinoma HeLa Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yue, Qingxi; Zhen, Hong; Huang, Ming; Zheng, Xi; Feng, Lixing; Jiang, Baohong; Yang, Min; Wu, Wanying; Liu, Xuan; Guo, Dean

    2016-01-01

    Although the possibility of developing cardiac steroids/cardiac glycosides as novel cancer therapeutic agents has been recognized, the mechanism of their anticancer activity is still not clear enough. Toad venom extract containing bufadienolides, which belong to cardiac steroids, has actually long been used as traditional Chinese medicine in clinic for cancer therapy in China. The cytotoxicity of arenobufagin, a bufadienolide isolated from toad venom, on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells was checked. And, the protein expression profile of control HeLa cells and HeLa cells treated with arenobufagin for 48 h was analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis, respectively. Differently expressed proteins in HeLa cells treated with arenobufagin were identified and the pathways related to these proteins were mapped from KEGG database. Computational molecular docking was performed to verify the binding of arenobufagin and Na, K-ATPase. The effects of arenobufagin on Na, K-ATPase activity and proteasome activity of HeLa cells were checked. The protein-protein interaction network between Na, K-ATPase and proteasome was constructed and the expression of possible intermediate proteins ataxin-1 and translationally-controlled tumor protein in HeLa cells treated with arenobufagin was then checked. Arenobufagin induced apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in HeLa cells. The cytotoxic effect of arenobufagin was associated with 25 differently expressed proteins including proteasome-related proteins, calcium ion binding-related proteins, oxidative stress-related proteins, metabolism-related enzymes and others. The results of computational molecular docking revealed that arenobufagin was bound in the cavity formed by the transmembrane alpha subunits of Na, K-ATPase, which blocked the pathway of extracellular Na+/K+ cation exchange and inhibited the function of ion exchange. Arenobufagin inhibited the activity of Na, K-ATPase and proteasome, decreased the expression of Na, K

  14. Hypericum perforatum as a cognitive enhancer in rodents: A meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben-Eliezer, Daniel; Yechiam, Eldad

    2016-01-01

    Considered an antidepressant and anti-anxiety agent, Hypericum perforatum affects multiple neurotransmitters in a non-competitive synergistic manner, and may have nootropic potential. We quantitatively reviewed the pre-clinical literature to examine if there is a cognitive-enhancing effect of H. perforatum in healthy rodents. Additionally, within these studies, we compared the effects observed in intact rodents versus those whose performance has been impaired, mostly through stress manipulations. The meta-analysis incorporated studies that examined the effect of H. perforatum versus placebo on memory indices of task performance. All analyses were based on weighting different studies according to their inverse variance. Thirteen independent studies (published 2000–2014) involving 20 experimental comparisons met our inclusion criteria. The results showed a large positive effect of H. perforatum on cognitive performance for intact, healthy rodents (d = 1.11), though a larger effect emerged for stress-impaired rodents (d = 3.10 for restraint stress). The positive effect on intact rodents was observed in tasks assessing reference memory as well as working memory, and was not moderated by the type of memory or motivation (appetitive versus aversive). Thus, while primarily considered as a medication for depression, H. perforatum shows considerable nootropic potential in rodents. PMID:27762349

  15. Neurogenic inflammation in human and rodent skin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schmelz, M; Petersen, Lars Jelstrup

    2001-01-01

    The combination of vasodilation and protein extravasation following activation of nociceptors has been termed "neurogenic inflammation." In contrast to rodents, no neurogenic protein extravasation can be elicited in healthy human skin. Dermal microdialysis has considerably increased our knowledge...... about neurogenic inflammation in human skin, including the involvement of mast cells.......The combination of vasodilation and protein extravasation following activation of nociceptors has been termed "neurogenic inflammation." In contrast to rodents, no neurogenic protein extravasation can be elicited in healthy human skin. Dermal microdialysis has considerably increased our knowledge...

  16. Public Health Implications of Changing Rodent Importation Patterns - United States, 1999-2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lankau, E W; Sinclair, J R; Schroeder, B A; Galland, G G; Marano, N

    2017-04-01

    The United States imports a large volume of live wild and domestic animal species; these animals pose a demonstrated risk for introduction of zoonotic diseases. Rodents are imported for multiple purposes, including scientific research, zoo exhibits and the pet trade. Current U.S. public health regulatory restrictions specific to rodent importation pertain only to those of African origin. To understand the impacts of these regulations and the potential public health risks of international rodent trade to the United States, we evaluated live rodent import records during 1999-2013 by shipment volume and geographic origin, source (e.g. wild-caught versus captive- or commercially bred), intended purpose and rodent taxonomy. Live rodent imports increased from 2737 animals during 1999 to 173 761 animals during 2013. Increases in both the number and size of shipments contributed to this trend. The proportion of wild-captured imports declined from 75% during 1999 to guinea pigs and hamsters arriving from other countries in North America were predominant taxa underlying this trend. After 2003, African-origin imports became sporadic events under the federal permit process. These patterns suggest development of large-scale captive rodent breeding markets abroad for commercial sale in the United States. While the shift from wild-captured imports alleviates many conservation concerns and risks for novel disease emergence, such consolidated sourcing might elevate exposure risks for zoonotic diseases associated with high-density rodent breeding (e.g. lymphocytic choriomeningitis or salmonellosis). A responsive border health system must periodically re-evaluate importation regulations in conjunction with key stakeholders to ensure a balance between the economic benefits of rodent trade against the potential public health risks. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  17. Chemical analysis of Greek pollen - Antioxidant, antimicrobial and proteasome activation properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonos Efstathios

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pollen is a bee-product known for its medical properties from ancient times. In our days is increasingly used as health food supplement and especially as a tonic primarily with appeal to the elderly to ameliorate the effects of ageing. In order to evaluate the chemical composition and the biological activity of Greek pollen which has never been studied before, one sample with identified botanical origin from sixteen different common plant taxa of Greece has been evaluated. Results Three different extracts of the studied sample of Greek pollen, have been tested, in whether could induce proteasome activities in human fibroblasts. The water extract was found to induce a highly proteasome activity, showing interesting antioxidant properties. Due to this activity the aqueous extract was further subjected to chemical analysis and seven flavonoids have been isolated and identified by modern spectral means. From the methanolic extract, sugars, lipid acids, phenolic acids and their esters have been also identified, which mainly participate to the biosynthetic pathway of pollen phenolics. The total phenolics were estimated with the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent and the total antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH method while the extracts and the isolated compounds were also tested for their antimicrobial activity by the dilution technique. Conclusions The Greek pollen is rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids which indicate the observed free radical scavenging activity, the effects of pollen on human fibroblasts and the interesting antimicrobial profile.

  18. The Revised Neurobehavioral Severity Scale (NSS-R) for Rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yarnell, Angela M; Barry, Erin S; Mountney, Andrea; Shear, Deborah; Tortella, Frank; Grunberg, Neil E

    2016-04-08

    Motor and sensory deficits are common following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although rodent models provide valuable insight into the biological and functional outcomes of TBI, the success of translational research is critically dependent upon proper selection of sensitive, reliable, and reproducible assessments. Published literature includes various observational scales designed to evaluate post-injury functionality; however, the heterogeneity in TBI location, severity, and symptomology can complicate behavioral assessments. The importance of choosing behavioral outcomes that can be reliably and objectively quantified in an efficient manner is becoming increasingly important. The Revised Neurobehavioral Severity Scale (NSS-R) is a continuous series of specific, sensitive, and standardized observational tests that evaluate balance, motor coordination, and sensorimotor reflexes in rodents. The tasks follow a specific order designed to minimize interference: balance, landing, tail raise, dragging, righting reflex, ear reflex, eye reflex, sound reflex, tail pinch, and hindpaw pinch. The NSS-R has proven to be a reliable method differentiating brain-injured rodents from non-brain-injured rodents across many brain injury models. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  19. Biodistribution, binding specificity and metabolism of [{sup 18}F]fluoroethylflumazenil in rodents

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leveque, Philippe; Labar, Daniel; Gallez, Bernard E-mail: gallez@cmfa.ucl.ac.be

    2001-10-01

    Pre-clinical studies were carried out in order to characterize in rodents the biodistribution, the binding specificity and the metabolism of [{sup 18}F]Fluoroethylflumazenil ([{sup 18}F]FEF), a potential candidate for in vivo imaging of the benzodiazepine receptors. In vivo competition with flumazenil indicates that [{sup 18}F]FEF binds specifically to the benzodiazepine receptor in the brain. The accumulation of [{sup 18}F]FEF was significantly lower than using [{sup 3}H]Flumazenil. The rather low accumulation in the brain is due to a rapid metabolism of [{sup 18}F]FEF in hydrophylic metabolites which cannot cross the blood brain barrier, and are rapidly eliminated in the urine. Inhibition of the metabolism by acetaminophen (chemically induced hepatitis) led to a significant increase of the radioactivity found in the circulating blood and in the brain, while these results were not observed using classical inhibitors of the cytochrome CYP450, cimetidine and ketoconazole.

  20. The proteasome of the differently-diverged eukaryote Giardia lamblia and its role in remodeling of the microtubule-based cytoskeleton.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Atrayee; Sarkar, Srimonti

    2017-08-01

    Giardia lamblia is the causative agent of the diarrheal disease giardiasis, against which only a limited number of drugs are currently available. Increasing reports of resistance to these drugs makes it necessary to identify new cellular targets for designing the next generation of anti-giardial drugs. Towards this goal, therapeutic agents that target the parasitic cellular machinery involved in the functioning of the unique microtubule-based cytoskeleton of the Giardia trophozoites are likely to be effective as microtubule function is not only important for the survival of trophozoites within the host, but also their extensive remodeling is necessary during the transition from trophozoites to cysts. Thus, drugs that affect microtubule remodeling have the potential to not only kill the disease-causing trophozoites, but also inhibit transmission of cysts in the community. Recent studies in other model organisms have indicated that the proteasome plays an integral role in the formation and remodeling of the microtubule-based cytoskeleton. This review draws attention to the various processes by which the giardial proteasome may impact the functioning of its microtubule cytoskeleton and highlights the possible differences of the parasitic proteasome and some of other cellular machinery involved in microtubule remodeling, compared to that of the higher eukaryotic host.

  1. Public Health and Rodents: A Game of Cat and Mouse

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meerburg, B.G.

    2015-01-01

    Rodents are the most abundant order of living mammals, distributed on every continent except Antarctic and represent 43 % of all mammalian species. Beside causing food losses and infrastructural damage, rodents can harbour pathogens that may cause serious problems to human and animal health.

  2. First Isolates of Leptospira spp., from Rodents Captured in Angola

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortes-Gabriel, Elsa; Carreira, Teresa; Vieira, Maria Luísa

    2016-01-01

    Rodents play an important role in the transmission of pathogenic Leptospira spp. However, in Angola, neither the natural reservoirs of these spirochetes nor leptospirosis diagnosis has been considered. Regarding this gap, we captured rodents in Luanda and Huambo provinces to identify circulating Leptospira spp. Rodent kidney tissue was cultured and DNA amplified and sequenced. Culture isolates were evaluated for pathogenic status and typing with rabbit antisera; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing were also performed. A total of 37 rodents were captured: Rattus rattus (15, 40.5%), Rattus norvegicus (9, 24.3%), and Mus musculus (13, 35.2%). Leptospiral DNA was amplified in eight (21.6%) kidney samples. From the cultures, we obtained four (10.8%) Leptospira isolates belonging to the Icterohaemorrhagiae and Ballum serogroups of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira borgpetersenii genospecies, respectively. This study provides information about circulating leptospires spread by rats and mice in Angola. PMID:26928840

  3. Nanobody-Directed Specific Degradation of Proteins by the 26S-Proteasome in Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianca Baudisch

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Here, we present data showing the directed degradation of target proteins recognized by a specific nanobody in transgenic plants. Green fluorescent protein was depleted by a chimeric nanobody fused to a distinct F-box domain, which enables protein degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome pathway. This technique could thus be used to knock out other proteins of interest in planta using specific, high-affinity binding proteins.

  4. Molecular Survey of Zoonotic Agents in Rodents and Other Small Mammals in Croatia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tadin, Ante; Tokarz, Rafal; Markotić, Alemka; Margaletić, Josip; Turk, Nenad; Habuš, Josipa; Svoboda, Petra; Vucelja, Marko; Desai, Aaloki; Jain, Komal; Lipkin, W Ian

    2016-02-01

    Croatia is a focus for many rodent-borne zoonosis. Here, we report a survey of 242 rodents and small mammals, including 43 Myodes glareolus, 131 Apodemus flavicollis, 53 Apodemus agrarius, three Apodemus sylvaticus, six Sorex araneus, four Microtus arvalis, one Microtus agrestis, and one Muscardinus avellanarius, collected at eight sites in Croatia over an 8-year period. Multiplex MassTag polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for detection of Borrelia, Rickettsia, Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Francisella tularensis, and Coxiella burnetii. Individual PCR assays were used for detection of Leptospira, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopoxviruses, flaviviruses, hantaviruses, and Toxoplasma gondii. Of the rodents, 52 (21.5%) were infected with Leptospira, 9 (3.7%) with Borrelia miyamotoi, 5 (2%) with Borrelia afzelii, 29 (12.0%) with Bartonella, 8 (3.3%) with Babesia microti, 2 (0.8%) with Ehrlichia, 4 (1.7%) with Anaplasma, 2 (0.8%) with F. tularensis, 43 (17.8%) with hantaviruses, and 1 (0.4%) with an orthopoxvirus. Other agents were not detected. Multiple infections were found in 32 rodents (13.2%): dual infections in 26 rodents (10.7%), triple infections in four rodents (2.9%), and quadruple infections in two rodents (0.8%). Our findings indicate that rodents in Croatia harbor a wide range of bacteria and viruses that are pathogenic to humans. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  5. Induction of 26S proteasome subunit PSMB5 by the bifunctional inducer 3-methylcholanthrene through the Nrf2-ARE, but not the AhR/Arnt-XRE, pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwak, Mi-Kyoung; Kensler, Thomas W.

    2006-01-01

    The 26S proteasome is responsible for degradation of abnormal intracellular proteins, including oxidatively damaged proteins and may play a role as a component of a cellular antioxidative system. However, little is known about regulation of proteasome expression. In the present study, regulation of proteasome expression by the bifunctional enzyme inducer and a specific signaling pathway for this regulation were investigated in murine neuroblastoma cells. Expression of catalytic core subunits including PSMB5 and peptidase activities of the proteasome were elevated following incubation with 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC). Studies using reporter genes containing the murine Psmb5 promoter showed that transcriptional activity of this gene was enhanced by 3-MC. Overexpression of AhR/Arnt did not affect activation of the Pmsb5 promoter by 3-MC and deletion of the xenobiotic response elements (XREs) from this promoter exerted modest effects on inducibility in response to 3-MC. However, mutation of the proximal AREs of the Psmb5 promoter largely abrogated its inducibility by 3-MC. In addition, this promoter showed a blunted response toward 3-MC in the absence of nrf2; 3-MC incubation increased nuclear levels of Nrf2 only in wild-type cells. Collectively, these results indicate that expression of proteasome subunit PSMB5 is modulated by bifunctional enzyme inducers in a manner independent of the AhR/Arnt-XRE pathway but dependent upon the Nrf2-ARE pathway

  6. Characterization of a Proteasome and TAP-independent Presentation of Intracellular Epitopes by HLA-B27 Molecules

    KAUST Repository

    Magnacca, A.; Persiconi, I.; Nurzia, E.; Caristi, S.; Meloni, F.; Barnaba, V.; Paladini, F.; Raimondo, D.; Fiorillo, M. T.; Sorrentino, R.

    2012-01-01

    -presentation by the HLA-B27 molecules was proteasome and TAP-independent and not restricted to Antigen-Presenting Cells (APC). Here, using these chimeric proteins as epitope suppliers, we compared with each other and with the HLA-A2 molecules, the two HLA-B*2705 and B

  7. Excess free histone H3 localizes to centrosomes for proteasome-mediated degradation during mitosis in metazoans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wike, Candice L; Graves, Hillary K; Wason, Arpit; Hawkins, Reva; Gopalakrishnan, Jay; Schumacher, Jill; Tyler, Jessica K

    2016-08-17

    The cell tightly controls histone protein levels in order to achieve proper packaging of the genome into chromatin, while avoiding the deleterious consequences of excess free histones. Our accompanying study has shown that a histone modification that loosens the intrinsic structure of the nucleosome, phosphorylation of histone H3 on threonine 118 (H3 T118ph), exists on centromeres and chromosome arms during mitosis. Here, we show that H3 T118ph localizes to centrosomes in humans, flies, and worms during all stages of mitosis. H3 abundance at the centrosome increased upon proteasome inhibition, suggesting that excess free histone H3 localizes to centrosomes for degradation during mitosis. In agreement, we find ubiquitinated H3 specifically during mitosis and within purified centrosomes. These results suggest that targeting of histone H3 to the centrosome for proteasome-mediated degradation is a novel pathway for controlling histone supply, specifically during mitosis.

  8. Mitochondrial and Ubiquitin Proteasome System Dysfunction in Ageing and Disease: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime M. Ross

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Mitochondrial dysfunction and impairment of the ubiquitin proteasome system have been described as two hallmarks of the ageing process. Additionally, both systems have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of many age-related diseases, particularly neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Interestingly, these two systems are closely interconnected, with the ubiquitin proteasome system maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis by regulating organelle dynamics, the proteome, and mitophagy, and mitochondrial dysfunction impairing cellular protein homeostasis by oxidative damage. Here, we review the current literature and argue that the interplay of the two systems should be considered in order to better understand the cellular dysfunction observed in ageing and age-related diseases. Such an approach may provide valuable insights into molecular mechanisms underlying the ageing process, and further discovery of treatments to counteract ageing and its associated diseases. Furthermore, we provide a hypothetical model for the heterogeneity described among individuals during ageing.

  9. Wild Rodents as Experimental Intermediate Hosts of Lagochilascaris minor Leiper, 1909

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julieta Machado Paçô

    1999-07-01

    Full Text Available A total of 25 specimens of Cavia porcellus (guinea pig, 5 Dasyprocta agouti (agouti, and 22 Calomys callosus (vesper mice were inoculated with infective eggs of Lagochilascaris minor. The inoculum was prepared with embryonated eggs and orally administered to each individual animal through an esophagus probe. In parallel, 100 specimens of Felis catus domesticus were individually fed with 55-70 nodules containing 3rd-stage larvae encysted in tissues of infected rodents. Animals were examined and necropsied at different time intervals. The migration and encystment of L3 larva was observed in viscera, skeletal muscle, adipose and subcutaneous tissues from all rodents. Adult worms localized at abscesses in the cervical region, rhino, and oropharynx were recovered from domestic cats inoculated with infected rodent tissues. Through this study we can conclude that: (1 wild rodents act as intermediate hosts, characterizing this ascarid heteroxenic cycle; (2 in natural conditions rodents could possibly act as either intermediate hosts or paratenic hosts of Lagochilascaris minor; (3 despite the occurrence of an auto-infecting cycle, in prime-infection of felines (definite hosts the cycle is only completed when intermediate hosts are provided; and (4 in the wild, rodents could serve as a source of infection for humans as they are frequently used as food in regions with the highest incidence of human lagochilascariasis.

  10. EFFECTS OF HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITOR, SAHA, ON EFFECTOR AND FOXP3+ REGULATORY T CELLS IN RHESUS MACAQUES

    OpenAIRE

    Johnson, Jennifer; Pahuja, Anil; Graham, Melanie; Hering, Bernhard; Hancock, Wayne W.; Pratima, Bansal-Pakala

    2008-01-01

    SAHA, a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), is clinically approved for treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Although the exact underlying mechanisms are unknown, HDACi arrest the cell cycle in rapidly proliferating tumor cells and promote their apoptosis. HDACi were also recently shown to enhance the production and suppressive functions of Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in rodents, leading us to begin to investigate the actions of HDACi on rhesus monkey T cells for the sake of potenti...

  11. Defining the key pharmacophore elements of PF-04620110: discovery of a potent, orally-active, neutral DGAT-1 inhibitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dow, Robert L; Andrews, Melissa P; Li, Jian-Cheng; Michael Gibbs, E; Guzman-Perez, Angel; Laperle, Jennifer L; Li, Qifang; Mather, Dawn; Munchhof, Michael J; Niosi, Mark; Patel, Leena; Perreault, Christian; Tapley, Susan; Zavadoski, William J

    2013-09-01

    DGAT-1 is an enzyme that catalyzes the final step in triglyceride synthesis. mRNA knockout experiments in rodent models suggest that inhibitors of this enzyme could be of value in the treatment of obesity and type II diabetes. The carboxylic acid-based DGAT-1 inhibitor 1 was advanced to clinical trials for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, despite of the low passive permeability of 1. Because of questions relating to the potential attenuation of distribution and efficacy of a poorly permeable agent, efforts were initiated to identify compounds with improved permeability. Replacement of the acid moiety in 1 with an oxadiazole led to the discovery of 52, which possesses substantially improved passive permeability. The resulting pharmacodynamic profile of this neutral DGAT-1 inhibitor was found to be similar to 1 at comparable plasma exposures. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Responses of nocturnal rodents to shrub encroachment in Banni grasslands, Gujarat, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayadevan, A.

    2016-12-01

    Shrub encroachment is one of the greatest threats to grasslands globally. These woodlands can strongly influence the behaviour of small mammals adapted to more open habitats, which rely on high visibility for early detection of predators. In semi-arid grasslands, rodents are considered keystone species. Although shrub encroachment is known to negatively affect rodent assemblages, its impact on the foraging behaviour of rodents, which is known to vary in response to risky situations, is unknown. Understanding whether shrub encroachment alters such antipredator behaviour is important as antipredator behaviour can alter the distribution, abundance and ultimately, survival of prey species. In this study, I explored the effects of shrub encroachment on the foraging behaviour of nocturnal rodent communities in the Banni grasslands, India. I examined foraging behaviour, quantified using the giving-up density (GUD) framework and the number of rodent crossings around food patches, in two habitats that differed in the extent of shrub encroachment. Under the GUD framework, the amount of food left behind by a forager in a food patch reflects the costs of feeding at the patch. Higher GUDs imply higher foraging costs. I also investigated how removal of an invasive woody plant, Prosopis juliflora would affect foraging behaviour of nocturnal rodents. High shrub encroachment was associated with higher foraging costs (higher GUDs) and lower activity than the sparsely wooded habitat, likely due to low visibility in the densely wooded habitat. The dense habitat also supported a higher richness and relative abundance of generalist rodents than the sparse habitat, likely due to the increased heterogeneity of the habitat. The tree removal experiment revealed that rodents had lower GUDs (i.e., low foraging costs) after the event of tree cutting. This may be due to the reduction of cover in the habitat, leading to higher visibility and lower predation risk. My results suggest that shrub

  13. Effect of woodland patch size on rodent seed predation in a fragmented landscape

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Loman

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available Predation on large woody plant seeds; chestnuts, acorns and sloe kernels, was studied in deciduous forests of two size classes: small woodlots (<1 ha and large woods (at least 25 ha in southern Sweden. Seeds used for the study were artificially distributed on the forest ground and seed predation measured as seed removal. Predation rate was similar in both types of woods. However, rodent density was higher in small woodlots and a correction for differences in rodent density showed that predation rate per individual rodent was higher in the large woods. This suggests that the small woodlots (including the border zone and their adjacent fields have more rodent food per area unit. A small woodlot cannot be considered a representative sample of a large continuous forest, even if the habitats appear similar. There was a strong effect of rodent density on seed predation rate. This suggests that rodents are major seed predators in this habitat.

  14. Rodent Species Distribution and Hantavirus Seroprevalence in Residential and Forested areas of Sarawak, Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamdan, Nur Elfieyra Syazana; Ng, Yee Ling; Lee, Wei Bin; Tan, Cheng Siang; Khan, Faisal Ali Anwarali; Chong, Yee Ling

    2017-01-01

    Rodents belong to the order Rodentia, which consists of three families in Borneo (i.e., Muridae, Sciuridae and Hystricidae). These include rats, mice, squirrels, and porcupines. They are widespread throughout the world and considered pests that harm humans and livestock. Some rodent species are natural reservoirs of hantaviruses (Family: Bunyaviridae) that can cause zoonotic diseases in humans. Although hantavirus seropositive human sera were reported in Peninsular Malaysia in the early 1980s, information on their infection in rodent species in Malaysia is still lacking. The rodent populations in residential and forested areas in Sarawak were sampled. A total of 108 individuals from 15 species of rodents were collected in residential ( n = 44) and forested ( n = 64) areas. The species diversity of rodents in forested areas was significantly higher (H = 2.2342) compared to rodents in residential areas (H = 0.64715) ( p Sarawak, East Malaysia. The results suggested that hantavirus was not circulating in the studied rodent populations in Sarawak, or it was otherwise at a low prevalence that is below the detection threshold. It is important to remain vigilant because of the zoonotic potential of this virus and its severe disease outcome. Further studies, such as molecular detection of viral genetic materials, are needed to fully assess the risk of hantavirus infection in rodents and humans in this region of Malaysia.

  15. Nutritional Evaluation of NASA's Rodent Food Bar Diet

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrett, Joyce E.; Yu, Diane S.; Dalton, Bonnie P.

    2000-01-01

    Tests are being conducted on NASA's rodent Food Bar in preparation for long-term use as the rat and mouse diet aboard the International Space Station. Nutritional analyses are performed after the bars are manufactured and then repeated periodically to determine nutritional stability. The primary factors analyzed are protein, ash, fat, fiber, moisture, amino acids, fatty acids, and minerals. Nutrient levels are compared to values published in the National Research Council's dietary requirements for rodents, and also to those contained in several commonly used commercial rodent lab diets. The Food Bar is manufactured from a powdered diet to which moisture is added as it is processed through an extruder. The bars are dipped into potassium sorbate, vacuum-sealed, and irradiated. In order to determine nutrient changes during extrusion and irradiation, the powdered diet, the non-irradiated bars, and the irradiated bars are all analyzed. We have observed lower values for some nutrients (iodine, vitamin K, and iron) in the Food Bars compared with NRC requirements. Many nutrients in the Food Bars are contained at a higher level than levels in the NRC requirements. An additional factor we are investigating is the 26% moisture level in the Food Bars, which drops to about 15% within a week, compared to a stable 10% moisture in many standard lab chow diets. In addition to the nutritional analyses, the food bar is being fed to several strains of rats and mice, and feeding study and necropsy results are being observed (Barrett et al, unpublished data). Information from the nutritional analyses and from the rodent studies will enable us to recommend the formulation that will most adequately meet the rodent Food Bar requirements for long-term use aboard the Space Station.

  16. The hip adductor muscle group in caviomorph rodents: anatomy and homology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Esponda, César M; Candela, Adriana M

    2015-06-01

    Anatomical comparative studies including myological data of caviomorph rodents are relatively scarce, leading to a lack of use of muscular features in cladistic and morphofunctional analyses. In rodents, the hip adductor muscles constitute an important group of the hindlimb musculature, having an important function during the beginning of the stance phase. These muscles are subdivided in several distinct ways in the different clades of rodents, making the identification of their homologies hard to establish. In this contribution we provide a detailed description of the anatomical variation of the hip adductor muscle group of different genera of caviomorph rodents and identify the homologies of these muscles in the context of Rodentia. On this basis, we identify the characteristic pattern of the hip adductor muscles in Caviomorpha. Our results indicate that caviomorphs present a singular pattern of the hip adductor musculature that distinguishes them from other groups of rodents. They are characterized by having a single m. adductor brevis that includes solely its genicular part. This muscle, together with the m. gracilis, composes a muscular sheet that is medial to all other muscles of the hip adductor group. Both muscles probably have a synergistic action during locomotion, where the m. adductor brevis reinforces the multiple functions of the m. gracilis in caviomorphs. Mapping of analyzed myological characters in the context of Rodentia indicates that several features are recovered as potential synapomorphies of caviomorphs. Thus, analysis of the myological data described here adds to the current knowledge of caviomorph rodents from anatomical and functional points of view, indicating that this group has features that clearly differentiate them from other rodents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  17. Helminth Infections of Rodents and Their Zoonotic Importance in Boyer-Ahmad District, Southwestern Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranjbar, Mohammad Javad; Sarkari, Bahador; Mowlavi, Gholam Reza; Seifollahi, Zeinab; Moshfe, Abdolali; Abdolahi Khabisi, Samaneh; Mobedi, Iraj

    2017-01-01

    Rodents are considered as reservoirs of various zoonotic diseases including helminthic infections. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of helminth infections in rodents, in Boyer-Ahmad district, Southwestern Iran. Overall, 52 rodents were captured from various areas of the district by Sherman live traps. The animals were then euthanized and dissected. During necropsy, each organ was examined macroscopically for presence of any cyst or visible parasite. The gastrointestinal tract was removed and their contents were evaluated for larva or adult worms. Trichinella larvae in the rodents' muscles were investigated by both digestion and pathological methods. Twenty-eight (53.8%) of the trapped rodents were male. The rodents were including 25 (48.1%) Meriones persicus , 1(1.9%) Calomyscus bailwardi , 1 (1.9%) Arvicola terresterris , 7 (13.5%) Rattus rattus , 8 (15.4%) R. norvegicus , and 10 (19.2%) Apodemus sylvaticus . Of them, 38 (73.0%) were infected with at least one helminth. Collected rodents were infected with Hymenolepis diminuta (50%), Hymenolepis nana fraterna (28.8%), Skrjabinotaenia sp. (15.4%), Anoplocephalidae sp. (15.4%), Cysticercus fasciolaris (5.8%), Trichuris muris (36.5%), Aspiculuris tetraptera (15.4%), Syphacia sp. (5.7%), Rictularia sp. (15.4%), Trichostrongylus sp. (3.8%), and Gongylonema sp. (3.8%). M. persicus was the most (84%) infected rodent, yet the differences between rodent genus and helminth infectivity were not statistically significant ( P >0.05). The rodents in Boyer-Ahmad district are infected with different helminths infections that some of them are recognized as threat to human health.

  18. Bone morphology of the hind limbs in two caviomorph rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Araújo, F A P; Sesoko, N F; Rahal, S C; Teixeira, C R; Müller, T R; Machado, M R F

    2013-04-01

    In order to evaluate the hind limbs of caviomorph rodents a descriptive analysis of the Cuniculus paca (Linnaeus, 1766) and Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris (Linnaeus, 1766) was performed using anatomical specimens, radiography, computed tomography (CT) and full-coloured prototype models to generate bone anatomy data. The appendicular skeleton of the two largest rodents of Neotropical America was compared with the previously reported anatomical features of Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout, 1769) and domestic Cavia porcellus (Linnaeus, 1758). The structures were analyzed macroscopically and particular findings of each species reported. Features including the presence of articular fibular projection and lunulae were observed in the stifle joint of all rodents. Imaging aided in anatomical description and, specifically in the identification of bone structures in Cuniculus paca and Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris. The imaging findings were correlated with the anatomical structures observed. The data may be used in future studies comparing these animals to other rodents and mammalian species. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  19. First Isolates of Leptospira spp., from Rodents Captured in Angola.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortes-Gabriel, Elsa; Carreira, Teresa; Vieira, Maria Luísa

    2016-05-04

    Rodents play an important role in the transmission of pathogenic Leptospira spp. However, in Angola, neither the natural reservoirs of these spirochetes nor leptospirosis diagnosis has been considered. Regarding this gap, we captured rodents in Luanda and Huambo provinces to identify circulating Leptospira spp. Rodent kidney tissue was cultured and DNA amplified and sequenced. Culture isolates were evaluated for pathogenic status and typing with rabbit antisera; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing were also performed. A total of 37 rodents were captured: Rattus rattus (15, 40.5%), Rattus norvegicus (9, 24.3%), and Mus musculus (13, 35.2%). Leptospiral DNA was amplified in eight (21.6%) kidney samples. From the cultures, we obtained four (10.8%) Leptospira isolates belonging to the Icterohaemorrhagiae and Ballum serogroups of Leptospira interrogans and Leptospira borgpetersenii genospecies, respectively. This study provides information about circulating leptospires spread by rats and mice in Angola. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  20. Rodent Research on the International Space Station - A Look Forward

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapusta, A. B.; Smithwick, M.; Wigley, C. L.

    2014-01-01

    Rodent Research on the International Space Station (ISS) is one of the highest priority science activities being supported by NASA and is planned for up to two flights per year. The first Rodent Research flight, Rodent Research-1 (RR-1) validates the hardware and basic science operations (dissections and tissue preservation). Subsequent flights will add new capabilities to support rodent research on the ISS. RR-1 will validate the following capabilities: animal husbandry for up to 30 days, video downlink to support animal health checks and scientific analysis, on-orbit dissections, sample preservation in RNA. Later and formalin, sample transfer from formalin to ethanol (hindlimbs), rapid cool-down and subsequent freezing at -80 of tissues and carcasses, sample return and recovery. RR-2, scheduled for SpX-6 (Winter 20142015) will add the following capabilities: animal husbandry for up to 60 days, RFID chip reader for individual animal identification, water refill and food replenishment, anesthesia and recovery, bone densitometry, blood collection (via cardiac puncture), blood separation via centrifugation, soft tissue fixation in formalin with transfer to ethanol, and delivery of injectable drugs that require frozen storage prior to use. Additional capabilities are also planned for future flights and these include but are not limited to male mice, live animal return, and the development of experiment unique equipment to support science requirements for principal investigators that are selected for flight. In addition to the hardware capabilities to support rodent research the Crew Office has implemented a training program in generic rodent skills for all USOS crew members during their pre-assignment training rotation. This class includes training in general animal handling, euthanasia, injections, and dissections. The dissection portion of this training focuses on the dissection of the spleen, liver, kidney with adrenals, brain, eyes, and hindlimbs. By achieving and

  1. Public health implications of changing rodent importation patterns— United States, 1999–2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lankau, Emily W.; Sinclair, Julie R.; Schroeder, Betsy A.; Galland, G. Gale; Marano, Nina

    2015-01-01

    Summary The United States imports a large volume of live wild and domestic animal species; these animals pose a demonstrated risk for introduction of zoonotic diseases. Rodents are imported for multiple purposes, including scientific research, zoo exhibits, and the pet trade. Current U.S. public health regulatory restrictions specific to rodent importation pertain only to those of African origin. To understand the impacts of these regulations and the potential public health risks of international rodent trade to the United States, we evaluated live rodent import records during 1999 –2013 by shipment volume and geographic origin, source (e.g., wild -caught versus captive-or commercially bred), intended purpose, and rodent taxonomy. Live rodent imports increased from 2,737 animals during 1999 to 173,761 animals during 2013. Increases in both the number and size of shipments contributed to this trend. The proportion of wild-captured imports declined from 75% during 1999 to guinea pigs, and hamsters arriving from other countries in North America were predominant taxa underlying this trend . After 2003, African-origin imports became sporadic events under the federal permit process. These patterns suggest development of large -scale captive rodent breeding markets abroad for commercial sale in the United States. While the shift from wild-captured imports alleviates many conservation concerns and risks for novel disease emergence, such consolidated sourcing might elevate exposure risks for zoonotic diseases associated with high-density rodent breeding(e.g. , lymphocytic choriomeningitis or salmonellosis). A responsive border health system must periodically re-evaluate importation regulations in conjunction with key stakeholders to ensure a balance between the economic benefits of rodent trade against the potential public health risks. PMID:26245515

  2. Simplified methods for in vivo measurement of acetylcholinesterase activity in rodent brain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kilbourn, Michael R. E-mail: mkilbour@umich.edu; Sherman, Phillip S.; Snyder, Scott E

    1999-07-01

    Simplified methods for in vivo studies of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in rodent brain were evaluated using N-[{sup 11}C]methylpiperidinyl propionate ([{sup 11}C]PMP) as an enzyme substrate. Regional mouse brain distributions were determined at 1 min (representing initial brain uptake) and 30 min (representing trapped product) after intravenous [{sup 11}C]PMP administration. Single time point tissue concentrations (percent injected dose/gram at 30 min), tissue concentration ratios (striatum/cerebellum and striatum/cortex ratios at 30 min), and regional tissue retention fractions (defined as percent injected dose 30 min/percent injected dose 1 min) were evaluated as measures of AChE enzymatic activity in mouse brain. Studies were carried out in control animals and after dosing with phenserine, a selective centrally active AChE inhibitor; neostigmine, a peripheral cholinesterase inhibitor; and a combination of the two drugs. In control and phenserine-treated animals, absolute tissue concentrations and regional retention fractions provide good measures of dose-dependent inhibition of brain AChE; tissue concentration ratios, however, provide erroneous conclusions. Peripheral inhibition of cholinesterases, which changes the blood pharmacokinetics of the radiotracer, diminishes the sensitivity of all measures to detect changes in central inhibition of the enzyme. We conclude that certain simple measures of AChE hydrolysis rates for [{sup 11}C]PMP are suitable for studies where alterations of the peripheral blood metabolism of the tracer are kept to a minimum.

  3. Harvesting behaviour of three central European rodents: Identifying the rodent pest in cereals

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Heroldová, Marta; Tkadlec, Emil

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 30, č. 1 (2011), s. 82-84 ISSN 0261-2194 R&D Projects: GA MZe QH72075 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519 Keywords : Apodemus sylvaticus * Apodemus uralensis * feeding behaviour * lab experiments * Microtus arvalis * rodent pest control Subject RIV: GF - Plant Pathology, Vermin, Weed, Plant Protection Impact factor: 1.402, year: 2011

  4. Inhibitors of the Hydrolytic Enzyme Dimethylarginine Dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH: Discovery, Synthesis and Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rhys B. Murphy

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH is a highly conserved hydrolytic enzyme found in numerous species, including bacteria, rodents, and humans. In humans, the DDAH-1 isoform is known to metabolize endogenous asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA and monomethyl arginine (l-NMMA, with ADMA proposed to be a putative marker of cardiovascular disease. Current literature reports identify the DDAH family of enzymes as a potential therapeutic target in the regulation of nitric oxide (NO production, mediated via its biochemical interaction with the nitric oxide synthase (NOS family of enzymes. Increased DDAH expression and NO production have been linked to multiple pathological conditions, specifically, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and septic shock. As such, the discovery, chemical synthesis, and development of DDAH inhibitors as potential drug candidates represent a growing field of interest. This review article summarizes the current knowledge on DDAH inhibition and the derived pharmacokinetic parameters of the main DDAH inhibitors reported in the literature. Furthermore, current methods of development and chemical synthetic pathways are discussed.

  5. Deregulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome system is the predominant molecular pathology in OPMD animal models and patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Anvar, Seyed Yahya; hoen, Peter Ac; Venema, Andrea

    2011-01-01

    molecular pathways that are consistently associated with OPMD, we performed an integrated high-throughput transcriptome study in affected muscles of OPMD animal models and patients. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) was found to be the most consistently and significantly OPMD-deregulated pathway across...

  6. The response of human and rodent cells to hyperthermia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roizin-Towle, L.; Pirro, J.P.

    1991-01-01

    Inherent cellular radiosensitivity in vitro has been shown to be a good predictor of human tumor response in vivo. In contrast, the importance of the intrinsic thermosensitivity of normal and neoplastic human cells as a factor in the responsiveness of human tumors to adjuvant hyperthermia has never been analyzed systematically. A comparison of thermal sensitivity and thermo-radiosensitization in four rodent and eight human-derived cell lines was made in vitro. Arrhenius plots indicated that the rodent cells were more sensitive to heat killing than the human, and the break-point was 0.5 degrees C higher for the human than rodent cells. The relationship between thermal sensitivity and the interaction of heat with X rays at low doses was documented by thermal enhancement ratios (TER's). Cells received either a 1 hr exposure to 43 degrees C or a 20 minute treatment at 45 degrees C before exposure to 300 kVp X rays. Thermal enhancement ratios ranged from 1.0 to 2.7 for human cells heated at 43 degrees C and from 2.1 to 5.3 for heat exposures at 45 degrees C. Thermal enhancement ratios for rodent cells were generally 2 to 3 times higher than for human cells, because of the fact that the greater thermosensitivity of rodent cells results in a greater enhancement of radiation damage. Intrinsic thermosensitivity of human cells has relevance to the concept of thermal dose; intrinsic thermo-radiosensitization of a range of different tumor cells is useful in documenting the interactive effects of radiation combined with heat

  7. Visual Landmarks Facilitate Rodent Spatial Navigation in Virtual Reality Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Youngstrom, Isaac A.; Strowbridge, Ben W.

    2012-01-01

    Because many different sensory modalities contribute to spatial learning in rodents, it has been difficult to determine whether spatial navigation can be guided solely by visual cues. Rodents moving within physical environments with visual cues engage a variety of nonvisual sensory systems that cannot be easily inhibited without lesioning brain…

  8. Detection of O-propargyl-puromycin with SUMO and ubiquitin by click chemistry at PML-nuclear bodies during abortive proteasome activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uozumi, Naoki; Matsumoto, Hotaru [Course for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto (Japan); Saitoh, Hisato, E-mail: hisa@kumamoto-u.ac.jp [Course for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto (Japan); Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto (Japan)

    2016-05-27

    The amino-nucleoside antibiotic, puromycin, acts by covalently linking to elongating polypeptide chains on ribosomes to generate prematurely terminated immature polypeptides. The trafficking of puromycin-conjugated (puromycylated) immature polypeptides within cell has, however, remained elusive. In this study, using O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro), the distribution of puromycylated polypeptides was assessed in HeLa cells by click chemistry. Under standard culture conditions, OP-Puro signals were detected in the cytoplasm and nucleus with the highest concentrations in the nucleolus. Intriguingly, when proteasome activities were aborted using MG132, OP-Puro signals began to accumulate at promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) in addition to the nucleolus. We also found promiscuous association of OP-Puro signals with SUMO-2/3 and ubiquitin at PML-NBs, but not at the nucleolus, during abortive proteasome activities. This study reveals a previously unknown distribution of OP-Puro that argues for a nuclear function in regulating immature protein homeostasis. -- Highlights: •Click chemistry detects O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro) signals in the nucleus. •OP-Puro accumulates at PML-NBs during abortive proteasome activities. •SUMO and ubiquitin are promiscuously associated with OP-Puro at PML-NBs. •The nucleus may function in immature protein homeostasis.

  9. Detection of O-propargyl-puromycin with SUMO and ubiquitin by click chemistry at PML-nuclear bodies during abortive proteasome activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uozumi, Naoki; Matsumoto, Hotaru; Saitoh, Hisato

    2016-01-01

    The amino-nucleoside antibiotic, puromycin, acts by covalently linking to elongating polypeptide chains on ribosomes to generate prematurely terminated immature polypeptides. The trafficking of puromycin-conjugated (puromycylated) immature polypeptides within cell has, however, remained elusive. In this study, using O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro), the distribution of puromycylated polypeptides was assessed in HeLa cells by click chemistry. Under standard culture conditions, OP-Puro signals were detected in the cytoplasm and nucleus with the highest concentrations in the nucleolus. Intriguingly, when proteasome activities were aborted using MG132, OP-Puro signals began to accumulate at promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML-NBs) in addition to the nucleolus. We also found promiscuous association of OP-Puro signals with SUMO-2/3 and ubiquitin at PML-NBs, but not at the nucleolus, during abortive proteasome activities. This study reveals a previously unknown distribution of OP-Puro that argues for a nuclear function in regulating immature protein homeostasis. -- Highlights: •Click chemistry detects O-propargyl-puromycin (OP-Puro) signals in the nucleus. •OP-Puro accumulates at PML-NBs during abortive proteasome activities. •SUMO and ubiquitin are promiscuously associated with OP-Puro at PML-NBs. •The nucleus may function in immature protein homeostasis.

  10. GEBR-7b, a novel PDE4D selective inhibitor that improves memory in rodents at non-emetic doses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruno, O; Fedele, E; Prickaerts, J; Parker, L A; Canepa, E; Brullo, C; Cavallero, A; Gardella, E; Balbi, A; Domenicotti, C; Bollen, E; Gijselaers, H J M; Vanmierlo, T; Erb, K; Limebeer, C L; Argellati, F; Marinari, U M; Pronzato, M A; Ricciarelli, R

    2011-12-01

    Strategies designed to enhance cerebral cAMP have been proposed as symptomatic treatments to counteract cognitive deficits. However, pharmacological therapies aimed at reducing PDE4, the main class of cAMP catabolizing enzymes in the brain, produce severe emetic side effects. We have recently synthesized a 3-cyclopentyloxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde derivative, structurally related to rolipram, and endowed with selective PDE4D inhibitory activity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the new drug, namely GEBR-7b, on memory performance, nausea, hippocampal cAMP and amyloid-β (Aβ) levels. To measure memory performance, we performed object recognition tests on rats and mice treated with GEBR-7b or rolipram. The emetic potential of the drug, again compared with rolipram, was evaluated in rats using the taste reactivity test and in mice using the xylazine/ketamine anaesthesia test. Extracellular hippocampal cAMP was evaluated by intracerebral microdialysis in freely moving rats. Levels of soluble Aβ peptides were measured in hippocampal tissues and cultured N2a cells by elisa. GEBR-7b increased hippocampal cAMP, did not influence Aβ levels and improved spatial, as well as object memory performance in the object recognition tests. The effect of GEBR-7b on memory was 3 to 10 times more potent than that of rolipram, and its effective doses had no effect on surrogate measures of emesis in rodents. Our results demonstrate that GEBR-7b enhances memory functions at doses that do not cause emesis-like behaviour in rodents, thus offering a promising pharmacological perspective for the treatment of memory impairment. © 2011 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology © 2011 The British Pharmacological Society.

  11. Proteasome Inhibition Contributed to the Cytotoxicity of Arenobufagin after Its Binding with Na, K-ATPase in Human Cervical Carcinoma HeLa Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qingxi Yue

    Full Text Available Although the possibility of developing cardiac steroids/cardiac glycosides as novel cancer therapeutic agents has been recognized, the mechanism of their anticancer activity is still not clear enough. Toad venom extract containing bufadienolides, which belong to cardiac steroids, has actually long been used as traditional Chinese medicine in clinic for cancer therapy in China. The cytotoxicity of arenobufagin, a bufadienolide isolated from toad venom, on human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells was checked. And, the protein expression profile of control HeLa cells and HeLa cells treated with arenobufagin for 48 h was analyzed using two-dimensional electrophoresis, respectively. Differently expressed proteins in HeLa cells treated with arenobufagin were identified and the pathways related to these proteins were mapped from KEGG database. Computational molecular docking was performed to verify the binding of arenobufagin and Na, K-ATPase. The effects of arenobufagin on Na, K-ATPase activity and proteasome activity of HeLa cells were checked. The protein-protein interaction network between Na, K-ATPase and proteasome was constructed and the expression of possible intermediate proteins ataxin-1 and translationally-controlled tumor protein in HeLa cells treated with arenobufagin was then checked. Arenobufagin induced apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in HeLa cells. The cytotoxic effect of arenobufagin was associated with 25 differently expressed proteins including proteasome-related proteins, calcium ion binding-related proteins, oxidative stress-related proteins, metabolism-related enzymes and others. The results of computational molecular docking revealed that arenobufagin was bound in the cavity formed by the transmembrane alpha subunits of Na, K-ATPase, which blocked the pathway of extracellular Na+/K+ cation exchange and inhibited the function of ion exchange. Arenobufagin inhibited the activity of Na, K-ATPase and proteasome, decreased the

  12. Screening of a Drug Library Identifies Inhibitors of Cell Intoxication by CNF1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahtal, Nassim; Brewee, Clémence; Pichard, Sylvain; Visvikis, Orane; Cintrat, Jean-Christophe; Barbier, Julien; Lemichez, Emmanuel; Gillet, Daniel

    2018-04-06

    Cytotoxic necrotizing factor 1 (CNF1) is a toxin produced by pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli responsible for extra-intestinal infections. CNF1 deamidates Rac1, thereby triggering its permanent activation and worsening inflammatory reactions. Activated Rac1 is prone to proteasomal degradation. There is no targeted therapy against CNF1, despite its clinical relevance. In this work we developed a fluorescent cell-based immunoassay to screen for inhibitors of CNF1-induced Rac1 degradation among 1120 mostly approved drugs. Eleven compounds were found to prevent CNF1-induced Rac1 degradation, and five also showed a protective effect against CNF1-induced multinucleation. Finally, lasalocid, monensin, bepridil, and amodiaquine protected cells from both diphtheria toxin and CNF1 challenges. These data highlight the potential for drug repurposing to fight several bacterial infections and Rac1-based diseases. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Proteasome Activators, PA28α and PA28β, Govern Development of Microvascular Injury in Diabetic Nephropathy and Retinopathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeed Yadranji Aghdam

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Diabetic nephropathy (DN and diabetic retinopathy (DR are major complications of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. DN and DR are mainly caused by injury to the perivascular supporting cells, the mesangial cells within the glomerulus, and the pericytes in the retina. The genes and molecular mechanisms predisposing retinal and glomerular pericytes to diabetic injury are poorly characterized. In this study, the genetic deletion of proteasome activator genes, PA28α and PA28β genes, protected the diabetic mice in the experimental STZ-induced diabetes model against renal injury and retinal microvascular injury and prolonged their survival compared with wild type STZ diabetic mice. The improved wellbeing and reduced renal damage was associated with diminished expression of Osteopontin (OPN and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1 in the glomeruli of STZ-injected PA28α/PA28β double knockout (Pa28αβDKO mice and also in cultured mesangial cells and retinal pericytes isolated from Pa28αβDKO mice that were grown in high glucose. The mesangial PA28-mediated expression of OPN under high glucose conditions was suppressed by peptides capable of inhibiting the binding of PA28 to the 20S proteasome. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that diabetic hyperglycemia promotes PA28-mediated alteration of proteasome activity in vulnerable perivascular cells resulting in microvascular injury and development of DN and DR.

  14. Discovery and Optimization of Imidazopyridine-Based Inhibitors of Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Futatsugi, Kentaro; Kung, Daniel W; Orr, Suvi T M; Cabral, Shawn; Hepworth, David; Aspnes, Gary; Bader, Scott; Bian, Jianwei; Boehm, Markus; Carpino, Philip A; Coffey, Steven B; Dowling, Matthew S; Herr, Michael; Jiao, Wenhua; Lavergne, Sophie Y; Li, Qifang; Clark, Ronald W; Erion, Derek M; Kou, Kou; Lee, Kyuha; Pabst, Brandon A; Perez, Sylvie M; Purkal, Julie; Jorgensen, Csilla C; Goosen, Theunis C; Gosset, James R; Niosi, Mark; Pettersen, John C; Pfefferkorn, Jeffrey A; Ahn, Kay; Goodwin, Bryan

    2015-09-24

    The medicinal chemistry and preclinical biology of imidazopyridine-based inhibitors of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) is described. A screening hit 1 with low lipophilic efficiency (LipE) was optimized through two key structural modifications: (1) identification of the pyrrolidine amide group for a significant LipE improvement, and (2) insertion of a sp(3)-hybridized carbon center in the core of the molecule for simultaneous improvement of N-glucuronidation metabolic liability and off-target pharmacology. The preclinical candidate 9 (PF-06424439) demonstrated excellent ADMET properties and decreased circulating and hepatic lipids when orally administered to dyslipidemic rodent models.

  15. Interactive effects of CO₂ and trace metals on the proteasome activity and cellular stress response of marine bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Götze, Sandra [Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar, Marine Research, Functional Ecology, 27570 Bremerhaven (Germany); Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223 (United States); Matoo, Omera B. [Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223 (United States); Beniash, Elia [Department of Oral Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Saborowski, Reinhard [Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar, Marine Research, Functional Ecology, 27570 Bremerhaven (Germany); Sokolova, Inna M., E-mail: isokolov@uncc.edu [Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223 (United States)

    2014-04-01

    Highlights: • Elevated PCO₂ enhanced accumulation of Cu and Cd in the gills of mollusks. • The proteasome activities were affected by metals but robust to elevated PCO₂. • Exposure to Cd and Cu had opposite effects on the proteasome activity. • Combined exposure to Cu and elevated PCO₂ negatively affected energy status. - Abstract: Increased anthropogenic emission of CO₂ changes the carbonate chemistry and decreases the pH of the ocean. This can affect the speciation and the bioavailability of metals in polluted habitats such as estuaries. However, the effects of acidification on metal accumulation and stress response in estuarine organisms including bivalves are poorly understood. We studied the interactive effects of CO₂ and two common metal pollutants, copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd), on metal accumulation, intracellular ATP/ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, stress response and energy metabolism in two common estuarine bivalves—Crassostrea virginica (eastern oyster) and Mercenaria mercenaria (hard shell clam). Bivalves were exposed for 4–5 weeks to clean seawater (control) and to either 50 μg L⁻¹ Cu or 50 μg L⁻¹ Cd at one of three partial pressures of CO₂ PCO₂ ~395, ~800 and ~1500 μatm) representative of the present-day conditions and projections of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) for the years 2100 and 2250, respectively. Clams accumulated lower metal burdens than oysters, and elevated PCO₂ enhanced the Cd and Cu accumulation in mantle tissues in both species. Higher Cd and Cu burdens were associated with elevated mRNA expression of metal binding proteins metallothionein and ferritin. In the absence of added metals, proteasome activities of clams and oysters were robust to elevated PCO₂, but PCO₂ modulated the proteasome response to metals. Cd exposure stimulated the chymotrypsin-like activity of the oyster proteasome

  16. Synergism between arsenite and proteasome inhibitor MG132 over cell death in myeloid leukaemic cells U937 and the induction of low levels of intracellular superoxide anion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lombardo, Tomás [Laboratorio de Immunotoxicologia (LaITO), IDEHU-CONICET, Hospital de Clínicas, José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Cavaliere, Victoria; Costantino, Susana N. [Laboratorio de Inmunología Tumoral (LIT), IDEHU-CONICET, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, UBA, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Kornblihtt, Laura [Servicio de Hematología, Hospital de Clínicas, José de San Martín (UBA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Alvarez, Elida M. [Laboratorio de Inmunología Tumoral (LIT), IDEHU-CONICET, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, UBA, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Blanco, Guillermo A., E-mail: gblanco@ffyb.uba.ar [Laboratorio de Immunotoxicologia (LaITO), IDEHU-CONICET, Hospital de Clínicas, José de San Martín, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2012-02-01

    Increased oxygen species production has often been cited as a mechanism determining synergism on cell death and growth inhibition effects of arsenic-combined drugs. However the net effect of drug combination may not be easily anticipated solely from available knowledge of drug-induced death mechanisms. We evaluated the combined effect of sodium arsenite with the proteasome inhibitor MG132, and the anti-leukaemic agent CAPE, on growth-inhibition and cell death effect in acute myeloid leukaemic cells U937 and Burkitt's lymphoma-derived Raji cells, by the Chou–Talalay method. In addition we explored the association of cytotoxic effect of drugs with changes in intracellular superoxide anion (O{sub 2}{sup −}) levels. Our results showed that combined arsenite + MG132 produced low levels of O{sub 2}{sup −} at 6 h and 24 h after exposure and were synergic on cell death induction in U937 cells over the whole dose range, although the combination was antagonistic on growth inhibition effect. Exposure to a constant non-cytotoxic dose of 80 μM hydrogen peroxide together with arsenite + MG132 changed synergism on cell death to antagonism at all effect levels while increasing O{sub 2}{sup −} levels. Arsenite + hydrogen peroxide also resulted in antagonism with increased O{sub 2}{sup −} levels in U937 cells. In Raji cells, arsenite + MG132 also produced low levels of O{sub 2}{sup −} at 6 h and 24 h but resulted in antagonism on cell death and growth inhibition. By contrast, the combination arsenite + CAPE showed high levels of O{sub 2}{sup −} production at 6 h and 24 h post exposure but resulted in antagonism over cell death and growth inhibition effects in U937 and Raji cells. We conclude that synergism between arsenite and MG132 in U937 cells is negatively associated to O{sub 2}{sup −} levels at early time points after exposure. -- Highlights: ► Arsenic combined cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects by Chou–Talalay method. ► Cytotoxic effect

  17. Relationships between rodent white adipose fat pads and human white adipose fat depots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniella E. Chusyd

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this review was to compare and contrast the physiological and metabolic profiles of rodent white adipose fat pads with white adipose fat depots in humans. Human fat distribution and its metabolic consequences have received extensive attention, but much of what has been tested in translational research has relied heavily on rodents. Unfortunately, the validity of using rodent fat pads as a model of human adiposity has received less attention. There is a surprisingly lack of studies demonstrating an analogous relationship between rodent and human adiposity on obesity-related comorbidities. Therefore, we aimed to compare known similarities and disparities in terms of white adipose tissue development and distribution, sexual dimorphism, weight loss, adipokine secretion, and aging. While the literature supports the notion that many similarities exist between rodents and humans, notable differences emerge related to fat deposition and function of white adipose tissue. Thus, further research is warranted to more carefully define the strengths and limitations of rodent white adipose tissue as a model for humans, with a particular emphasis on comparable fat depots, such as mesenteric fat.

  18. The Ethics of Rodent Control

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meerburg, B.G.; Brom, F.W.A.; Kijlstra, A.

    2008-01-01

    Because western societies generally see animals as objects of moral concern, demands have been made on the way they are treated, e.g. during animal experimentation. In the case of rodent pests, however, inhumane control methods are often applied. This inconsistency in the human-animal relationship

  19. The water economy of South American desert rodents: from integrative to molecular physiological ecology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozinovic, Francisco; Gallardo, Pedro

    2006-01-01

    Rodents from arid and semi-arid habitats live under conditions where the spatial and temporal availability of free water is limited, or scarce, thus forcing these rodents to deal with the problem of water conservation. The response of rodents to unproductive desert environments and water deficits has been intensively investigated in many deserts of the world. However, current understanding of the cellular, systemic and organismal physiology of water economy relies heavily on short-term, laboratory-oriented experiments, which usually focus on responses at isolated levels of biological organization. In addition, studies in small South American mammals are scarce. Indeed xeric habitats have existed in South America for a long time and it is intriguing why present day South American desert rodents do not show the wide array of adaptive traits to desert life observed for rodents on other continents. Several authors have pointed out that South American desert rodents lack physiological and energetic specialization for energy and water conservation, hypothesizing that their success is based more on behavioral and ecological strategies. We review phenotypic flexibility and physiological diversity in water flux rate, urine osmolality, and expression of water channels in South American desert-dwelling rodents. As far as we know, this is the first review of integrative studies at cellular, systemic and organismal levels. Our main conclusion is that South American desert rodents possess structural as well as physiological systems for water conservation, which are as remarkable as those found in "classical" rodents inhabiting other desert areas of the world.

  20. Helminth Infections of Rodents and Their Zoonotic Importance in Boyer-Ahmad District, Southwestern Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Javad RANJBAR

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available AbstractBackground: Rodents are considered as reservoirs of various zoonotic diseases including helminthic infections. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of helminth infections in rodents, in Boyer-Ahmad district, Southwestern Iran.Methods: Overall, 52 rodents were captured from various areas of the district by Sherman live traps. The animals were then euthanized and dissected. During necropsy, each organ was examined macroscopically for presence of any cyst or visible parasite. The gastrointestinal tract was removed and their contents were evaluated for larva or adult worms. Trichinella larvae in the rodents’ muscles were investigated by both digestion and pathological methods.Results: Twenty-eight (53.8% of the trapped rodents were male. The rodents were including 25 (48.1% Meriones persicus, 1(1.9% Calomyscus bailwardi, 1 (1.9% Arvicola terresterris, 7 (13.5% Rattus rattus, 8 (15.4% R. norvegicus, and 10 (19.2% Apodemus sylvaticus. Of them, 38 (73.0% were infected with at least one helminth. Collected rodents were infected with Hymenolepis diminuta (50%, Hymenolepis nana fraterna (28.8%, Skrjabinotaenia sp. (15.4%, Anoplocephalidae sp. (15.4%, Cysticercus fasciolaris (5.8%, Trichuris muris (36.5%, Aspiculuris tetraptera (15.4%, Syphacia sp. (5.7%, Rictularia sp. (15.4%, Trichostrongylus sp. (3.8%, and Gongylonema sp. (3.8%. M. persicus was the most (84% infected rodent, yet the differences between rodent genus and helminth infectivity were not statistically significant (P>0.05.Conclusion: The rodents in Boyer-Ahmad district are infected with different helminths infections that some of them are recognized as threat to human health.

  1. Optimizing Cardiovascular Benefits of Exercise: A Review of Rodent Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Brittany; Moriguchi, Takeshi; Sumpio, Bauer

    2013-01-01

    Although research unanimously maintains that exercise can ward off cardiovascular disease (CVD), the optimal type, duration, intensity, and combination of forms are yet not clear. In our review of existing rodent-based studies on exercise and cardiovascular health, we attempt to find the optimal forms, intensities, and durations of exercise. Using Scopus and Medline, a literature review of English language comparative journal studies of cardiovascular benefits and exercise was performed. This review examines the existing literature on rodent models of aerobic, anaerobic, and power exercise and compares the benefits of various training forms, intensities, and durations. The rodent studies reviewed in this article correlate with reports on human subjects that suggest regular aerobic exercise can improve cardiac and vascular structure and function, as well as lipid profiles, and reduce the risk of CVD. Findings demonstrate an abundance of rodent-based aerobic studies, but a lack of anaerobic and power forms of exercise, as well as comparisons of these three components of exercise. Thus, further studies must be conducted to determine a truly optimal regimen for cardiovascular health. PMID:24436579

  2. Multi-level Strategy for Identifying Proteasome-Catalyzed Spliced Epitopes Targeted by CD8(+) T Cells during Bacterial Infection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Platteel, Anouk C M|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/375805613; Liepe, Juliane; Textoris-Taube, Kathrin; Keller, Christin; Henklein, Petra; Schalkwijk, Hanna H; Cardoso, Rebeca; Kloetzel, Peter M; Mishto, Michele; Sijts, Alice J A M|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/115553843

    2017-01-01

    Proteasome-catalyzed peptide splicing (PCPS) generates peptides that are presented by MHC class I molecules, but because their identification is challenging, the immunological relevance of spliced peptides remains unclear. Here, we developed a reverse immunology-based multi-level approach to

  3. Curcumin produces neuroprotective effects via activating brain-derived neurotrophic factor/TrkB-dependent MAPK and PI-3K cascades in rodent cortical neurons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Rui; Li, Yu-Hua; Xu, Ying; Li, Ying-Bo; Wu, Hong-Li; Guo, Hao; Zhang, Jian-Zhao; Zhang, Jing-Jie; Pan, Xue-Yang; Li, Xue-Jun

    2010-02-01

    Curcumin is a major constituent of curcuma longa, a traditional medicine used to manage mental disorders effectively in China. The neuroprotective effects of curcumin have been demonstrated in our previous studies. In the present research, we confirmed this effect by showing that curcumin application promoted the viability of cultured rodent cortical neurons. Moreover, when neurons were pretreated with tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) antibody, known to inhibit the activity of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the protective effect of curcumin was blocked. Additionally, treatment of curcumin increased BDNF and phosphor-TrkB and both of these enhancements can be suppressed by ERK and PI-3K inhibitors. The administration of curcumin led to increased levels of phosphor-ERK and AKT, which were each blocked by MAPK and PI-3K inhibitors. Furthermore, the curcumin-induced increase in phosphorylated cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB), which has been implicated as a possible mediator of antidepressant actions, was prevented by MAPK and PI-3K inhibitors. Therefore, we hypothesize the neuroprotection of curcumin might be mediated via BDNF/TrkB-MAPK/PI-3K-CREB signaling pathway. Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  4. The Architecture of the Anbu Complex Reflects an Evolutionary Intermediate at the Origin of the Proteasome System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fuchs, Adrian C D; Alva, Vikram; Maldoner, Lorena; Albrecht, Reinhard; Hartmann, Marcus D; Martin, Jörg

    2017-06-06

    Proteasomes are self-compartmentalizing proteases that function at the core of the cellular protein degradation machinery in eukaryotes, archaea, and some bacteria. Although their evolutionary history is under debate, it is thought to be linked to that of the bacterial protease HslV and the hypothetical bacterial protease Anbu (ancestral beta subunit). Here, together with an extensive bioinformatic analysis, we present the first biophysical characterization of Anbu. Anbu forms a dodecameric complex with a unique architecture that was only accessible through the combination of X-ray crystallography and small-angle X-ray scattering. While forming continuous helices in crystals and electron microscopy preparations, refinement of sections from the crystal structure against the scattering data revealed a helical open-ring structure in solution, contrasting the ring-shaped structures of proteasome and HslV. Based on this primordial architecture and exhaustive sequence comparisons, we propose that Anbu represents an ancestral precursor at the origin of self-compartmentalization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Stress, social behavior, and resilience: Insights from rodents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beery, Annaliese K.; Kaufer, Daniela

    2014-01-01

    The neurobiology of stress and the neurobiology of social behavior are deeply intertwined. The social environment interacts with stress on almost every front: social interactions can be potent stressors; they can buffer the response to an external stressor; and social behavior often changes in response to stressful life experience. This review explores mechanistic and behavioral links between stress, anxiety, resilience, and social behavior in rodents, with particular attention to different social contexts. We consider variation between several different rodent species and make connections to research on humans and non-human primates. PMID:25562050

  6. Research Note. Occurrence of gastrointestinal helminths in commensal rodents from Tabasco, Mexico

    OpenAIRE

    Cigarroa-Toledo N.; Santos-Martinez Y. De Los; Zaragoza-Vera C. V.; Garcia-Rodriguez M. M.; Baak-Baak C. M.; Machain-Williams C.; Garcia-Rejon J. E.; Panti-May J. A.; Torres-Chable O. M.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and species composition of helminths in commensal rodents captured inside private residences in the city of Villahermosa in Tabasco, Mexico. Trapping was performed at each house for three consecutive nights from October to December 2015. Fifty commensal rodents were captured: 23 Rattus norvegicus, 16 Mus musculus and 11 Rattus rattus. Rodents were transported alive to the laboratory and held in cages until they defecated. Feces were analyz...

  7. The devil is in the details: comparison between COP9 signalosome (CSN) and the LID of the 26S proteasome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meister, Cindy; Gulko, Miriam Kolog; Köhler, Anna M; Braus, Gerhard H

    2016-02-01

    The COP9 signalosome (CSN) and the proteasomal LID are conserved macromolecular complexes composed of at least eight subunits with molecular weights of approximately 350 kDa. CSN and LID are part of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and cleave isopeptide linkages of lysine side chains on target proteins. CSN cleaves the isopeptide bond of ubiquitin-like protein Nedd8 from cullins, whereas the LID cleaves ubiquitin from target proteins sentenced for degradation. CSN and LID are structurally and functionally similar but the order of the assembly pathway seems to be different. The assembly differs in at least the last subunit joining the pre-assembled subcomplex. This review addresses the similarities and differences in structure, function and assembly of CSN and LID.

  8. Comparison of food hoarding of two sympatric rodent species under interspecific competition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yi-Feng; Tong, Lei; Ji, Wei-Hong; Lu, Ji-Qi

    2013-01-01

    Competition can greatly affect the food hoarding strategies of rodents and the fate of seeds hoarded. In order to understand the influence of interspecific competition on food caching behavior of sympatric rodents, we investigated food hoarding patterns of two sympatric rodent species, buff-breasted rat (Rattus flavipectus) and Chinese white-bellied rat (Niviventor confucianus), and compared their responses and adjustment in hoarding behavior under interspecific competition. The results showed that: (1) the buff-breasted rat larder hoarded seeds only, while Chinese white-bellied rat hoarded seeds in both larder and scatter forms; (2) two species of rodents both larder hoarded more seeds when competitors were present; and (3) the Chinese white-bellied rats adjusted their seed hoarding from scatter to larder when competitors were introduced, which reduced the seed availability. Therefore, we concluded that rodents would adjust their food hoarding strategy when interspecific competitors were present, and this may produce a different effect on the fate of seeds and the recruitment of plants. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: insert SI title. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Tick parasites of rodents in Romania: host preferences, community structure and geographical distribution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mihalca, Andrei D; Dumitrache, Mirabela O; Sándor, Attila D; Magdaş, Cristian; Oltean, Miruna; Györke, Adriana; Matei, Ioana A; Ionică, Angela; D'Amico, Gianluca; Cozma, Vasile; Gherman, Călin M

    2012-11-21

    Ticks are among the most important vectors of zoonotic diseases in temperate regions of Europe, with widespread distribution and high densities, posing an important medical risk. Most ticks feed on a variety of progressively larger hosts, with a large number of small mammal species typically harbouring primarily the immature stages. However, there are certain Ixodidae that characteristically attack micromammals also during their adult stage. Rodents are widespread hosts of ticks, important vectors and competent reservoirs of tick-borne pathogens. Micromammal-tick associations have been poorly studied in Romania, and our manuscript shows the results of a large scale study on tick infestation epidemiology in rodents from Romania. Rodents were caught using snap-traps in a variety of habitats in Romania, between May 2010 and November 2011. Ticks were individually collected from these rodents and identified to species and development stage. Frequency, mean intensity, prevalence and its 95% confidence intervals were calculated using the EpiInfo 2000 software. A p value of Romania for the presence of ticks. Each collected tick was identified to species level and the following epidemiological parameters were calculated: prevalence, mean intensity and mean abundance. The total number of ticks collected from rodents was 483, with eight species identified: Ixodes ricinus, I. redikorzevi, I. apronophorus, I. trianguliceps, I. laguri, Dermacentor marginatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Haemaphysalis sulcata. The overall prevalence of tick infestation was 29.55%, with a mean intensity of 3.86 and a mean abundance of 1.14. Only two polyspecific infestations were found: I. ricinus + I. redikorzevi and I. ricinus + D. marginatus. Our study showed a relatively high diversity of ticks parasitizing rodents in Romania. The most common tick in rodents was I. ricinus, followed by I. redikorzevi. Certain rodents seem to host a significantly higher number of tick species than others, the

  10. The need to implement the landscape of fear within rodent pest management strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krijger, Inge M; Belmain, Steven R; Singleton, Grant R; Groot Koerkamp, Peter Wg; Meerburg, Bastiaan G

    2017-12-01

    Current reactive pest management methods have serious drawbacks such as the heavy reliance on chemicals, emerging genetic rodenticide resistance and high secondary exposure risks. Rodent control needs to be based on pest species ecology and ethology to facilitate the development of ecologically based rodent management (EBRM). An important aspect of EBRM is a strong understanding of rodent pest species ecology, behaviour and spatiotemporal factors. Gaining insight into the behaviour of pest species is a key aspect of EBRM. The landscape of fear (LOF) is a mapping of the spatial variation in the foraging cost arising from the risk of predation, and reflects the levels of fear a prey species perceives at different locations within its home range. In practice, the LOF maps habitat use as a result of perceived fear, which shows where bait or traps are most likely to be encountered and used by rodents. Several studies have linked perceived predation risk of foraging animals with quitting-harvest rates or giving-up densities (GUDs). GUDs have been used to reflect foraging behaviour strategies of predator avoidance, but to our knowledge very few papers have directly used GUDs in relation to pest management strategies. An opportunity for rodent control strategies lies in the integration of the LOF of rodents in EBRM methodologies. Rodent management could be more efficient and effective by concentrating on those areas where rodents perceive the least levels of predation risk. © 2017 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

  11. Zoonotic pathogens in Atlantic Forest wild rodents in Brazil: Bartonella and Coxiella infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rozental, Tatiana; Ferreira, Michelle Santos; Guterres, Alexandro; Mares-Guia, Maria Angélica; Teixeira, Bernardo R; Gonçalves, Jonathan; Bonvicino, Cibele Rodrigues; D'Andrea, Paulo Sergio; de Lemos, Elba Regina Sampaio

    2017-04-01

    Zoonotic pathogens comprise a significant and increasing fraction of all emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that plague humans. Identifying host species is one of the keys to controlling emerging infectious diseases. From March 2007 until April 2012, we collected a total of 131 wild rodents in eight municipalities of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. We investigated these rodents for infection with Coxiella burnetii, Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. In total, 22.1% (29/131) of the rodents were infected by at least one pathogen; co-infection was detected in 1.5% (2/131) of rodents. Coxiella burnetii was detected in 4.6% (6/131) of the wild animals, 17.6% of the rodents harbored Bartonella spp. No cases of Rickettsia were identified. Bartonella doshiae and Bartonella vinsonii were the species found on the wild mammals. This report is the first to note C. burnetii, B. doshiae and B. vinsonii natural infections in Atlantic Forest wild rodents in Brazil. Our work highlights the potential risk of transmission to humans, since most of the infected specimens belong to generalist species that live near human dwellings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Neurogenetics of aggressive behavior: studies in rodents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Aki; Miczek, Klaus A

    2014-01-01

    Aggressive behavior is observed in many animal species, such as insects, fish, lizards, frogs, and most mammals including humans. This wide range of conservation underscores the importance of aggressive behavior in the animals' survival and fitness, and the likely heritability of this behavior. Although typical patterns of aggressive behavior differ between species, there are several concordances in the neurobiology of aggression among rodents, primates, and humans. Studies with rodent models may eventually help us to understand the neurogenetic architecture of aggression in humans. However, it is important to recognize the difference between the ecological and ethological significance of aggressive behavior (species-typical aggression) and maladaptive violence (escalated aggression) when applying the findings of aggression research using animal models to human or veterinary medicine. Well-studied rodent models for aggressive behavior in the laboratory setting include the mouse (Mus musculus), rat (Rattus norvegicus), hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), and prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). The neural circuits of rodent aggression have been gradually elucidated by several techniques, e.g., immunohistochemistry of immediate-early gene (c-Fos) expression, intracranial drug microinjection, in vivo microdialysis, and optogenetics techniques. Also, evidence accumulated from the analysis of gene-knockout mice shows the involvement of several genes in aggression. Here, we review the brain circuits that have been implicated in aggression, such as the hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex (PFC), dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and olfactory system. We then discuss the roles of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), excitatory and inhibitory amino acids in the brain, as well as their receptors, in controlling aggressive behavior, focusing mainly on recent findings. At the end of this chapter, we discuss how genes can be identified that underlie individual

  13. The Role of Epibionts of Bacteria of the Genus Pseudoalteromonas and Cellular Proteasomes in the Adaptive Plasticity of Marine Cold-Water Sponges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kravchuk, O I; Lavrov, A I; Finoshin, A D; Gornostaev, N G; Georgiev, A A; Abaturova, S B; Mikhailov, V S; Lyupina, Yu V

    2018-03-01

    It was found that cells of different color morphs of the cold-water marine sponges Halichondria panicea (Pallas, 1766) of the class Demospongiae differ in the content of epibionts of bacteria of the genus Pseudoalteromonas. The sponge cells with elevated levels of epibionts of bacteria of the genus Pseudoalteromonas showed an increased expression of Hsp70 proteins but had a reduced level of the proteasomal catalytic beta 5 subunit, which was accompanied by a change in their activity. Probably, epibionts of bacteria of the genus Pseudoalteromonas may affect the ubiquitin-proteasome system in the cells of cold-water marine sponges and, thereby, ensure their adaptive plasticity.

  14. Prefoldin Promotes Proteasomal Degradation of Cytosolic Proteins with Missense Mutations by Maintaining Substrate Solubility.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie A Comyn

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Misfolded proteins challenge the ability of cells to maintain protein homeostasis and can accumulate into toxic protein aggregates. As a consequence, cells have adopted a number of protein quality control pathways to prevent protein aggregation, promote protein folding, and target terminally misfolded proteins for degradation. In this study, we employed a thermosensitive allele of the yeast Guk1 guanylate kinase as a model misfolded protein to investigate degradative protein quality control pathways. We performed a flow cytometry based screen to identify factors that promote proteasomal degradation of proteins misfolded as the result of missense mutations. In addition to the E3 ubiquitin ligase Ubr1, we identified the prefoldin chaperone subunit Gim3 as an important quality control factor. Whereas the absence of GIM3 did not impair proteasomal function or the ubiquitination of the model substrate, it led to the accumulation of the poorly soluble model substrate in cellular inclusions that was accompanied by delayed degradation. We found that Gim3 interacted with the Guk1 mutant allele and propose that prefoldin promotes the degradation of the unstable model substrate by maintaining the solubility of the misfolded protein. We also demonstrated that in addition to the Guk1 mutant, prefoldin can stabilize other misfolded cytosolic proteins containing missense mutations.

  15. Interactive effects of CO2 and trace metals on the proteasome activity and cellular stress response of marine bivalves Crassostrea virginica and Mercenaria mercenaria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Götze, Sandra; Matoo, Omera B.; Beniash, Elia; Saborowski, Reinhard; Sokolova, Inna M.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Elevated P CO 2 enhanced accumulation of Cu and Cd in the gills of mollusks. • The proteasome activities were affected by metals but robust to elevated P CO 2 . • Exposure to Cd and Cu had opposite effects on the proteasome activity. • Combined exposure to Cu and elevated P CO 2 negatively affected energy status. - Abstract: Increased anthropogenic emission of CO 2 changes the carbonate chemistry and decreases the pH of the ocean. This can affect the speciation and the bioavailability of metals in polluted habitats such as estuaries. However, the effects of acidification on metal accumulation and stress response in estuarine organisms including bivalves are poorly understood. We studied the interactive effects of CO 2 and two common metal pollutants, copper (Cu) and cadmium (Cd), on metal accumulation, intracellular ATP/ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation, stress response and energy metabolism in two common estuarine bivalves—Crassostrea virginica (eastern oyster) and Mercenaria mercenaria (hard shell clam). Bivalves were exposed for 4–5 weeks to clean seawater (control) and to either 50 μg L −1 Cu or 50 μg L −1 Cd at one of three partial pressures of CO 2 (P CO 2 ∼395, ∼800 and ∼1500 μatm) representative of the present-day conditions and projections of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) for the years 2100 and 2250, respectively. Clams accumulated lower metal burdens than oysters, and elevated P CO 2 enhanced the Cd and Cu accumulation in mantle tissues in both species. Higher Cd and Cu burdens were associated with elevated mRNA expression of metal binding proteins metallothionein and ferritin. In the absence of added metals, proteasome activities of clams and oysters were robust to elevated P CO 2 , but P CO 2 modulated the proteasome response to metals. Cd exposure stimulated the chymotrypsin-like activity of the oyster proteasome at all CO 2 levels. In contrast, trypsin- and caspase-like activities of

  16. The valproic acid-induced rodent model of autism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicolini, Chiara; Fahnestock, Margaret

    2018-01-01

    Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and interaction and by repetitive patterns of behavior, interests and activities. While autism has a strong genetic component, environmental factors including toxins, pesticides, infection and drugs are known to confer autism susceptibility, likely by inducing epigenetic changes. In particular, exposure to valproic acid (VPA) during pregnancy has been demonstrated to increase the risk of autism in children. Furthermore, rodents prenatally exposed to this drug display behavioral phenotypes characteristics of the human condition. Indeed, in utero exposure of rodents to VPA represents a robust model of autism exhibiting face, construct and predictive validity. This model might better represent the many cases of idiopathic autism which are of environmental/epigenetic origins than do transgenic models carrying mutations in single autism-associated genes. The VPA model provides a valuable tool to investigate the neurobiology underlying autistic behavior and to screen for novel therapeutics. Here we review the VPA-induced rodent model of autism, highlighting its importance and reliability as an environmentally-induced animal model of autism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Maintaining glycogen synthase kinase-3 activity is critical for mTOR kinase inhibitors to inhibit cancer cell growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koo, Junghui; Yue, Ping; Gal, Anthony A; Khuri, Fadlo R; Sun, Shi-Yong

    2014-05-01

    mTOR kinase inhibitors that target both mTORC1 and mTORC2 are being evaluated in cancer clinical trials. Here, we report that glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is a critical determinant for the therapeutic response to this class of experimental drugs. Pharmacologic inhibition of GSK3 antagonized their suppressive effects on the growth of cancer cells similarly to genetic attenuation of GSK3. Conversely, expression of a constitutively activated form of GSK3β sensitized cancer cells to mTOR inhibition. Consistent with these findings, higher basal levels of GSK3 activity in a panel of human lung cancer cell lines correlated with more efficacious responses. Mechanistic investigations showed that mTOR kinase inhibitors reduced cyclin D1 levels in a GSK3β-dependent manner, independent of their effects on suppressing mTORC1 signaling and cap binding. Notably, selective inhibition of mTORC2 triggered proteasome-mediated cyclin D1 degradation, suggesting that mTORC2 blockade is responsible for GSK3-dependent reduction of cyclin D1. Silencing expression of the ubiquitin E3 ligase FBX4 rescued this reduction, implicating FBX4 in mediating this effect of mTOR inhibition. Together, our findings define a novel mechanism by which mTORC2 promotes cell growth, with potential implications for understanding the clinical action of mTOR kinase inhibitors. ©2014 AACR.

  18. LBH589, A Hydroxamic Acid-Derived HDAC Inhibitor, is Neuroprotective in Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chopra, Vanita; Quinti, Luisa; Khanna, Prarthana; Paganetti, Paolo; Kuhn, Rainer; Young, Anne B; Kazantsev, Aleksey G; Hersch, Steven

    2016-12-15

    Modulation of gene transcription by HDAC inhibitors has been shown repeatedly to be neuroprotective in cellular, invertebrate, and rodent models of Huntington's disease (HD). It has been difficult to translate these treatments to the clinic, however, because existing compounds have limited potency or brain bioavailability. In the present study, we assessed the therapeutic potential of LBH589, an orally bioavailable hydroxamic acid-derived nonselective HDAC inhibitor in mouse models of HD. The efficacy of LBH589 is tested in two HD mouse models using various biochemical, behavioral and neuropathological outcome measures. We show that LBH589 crosses the blood brain barrier; induces histone hyperacetylation and prevents striatal neuronal shrinkage in R6/2 HD mice. In full-length knock-in HD mice LBH589-treatment improves motor performance and reduces neuronal atrophy. Our efficacious results of LBH589 in fragment and full-length mouse models of HD suggest that LBH589 is a promising candidate for clinical assessment in HD patients and provides confirmation that non-selective HDAC inhibitors can be viable clinical candidates.

  19. Guide to Commensal Rodent Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-12-01

    in many detergents also fluoresce. For positive identification, place the suspect material on Urease Siom lhymol Blue test paper, moisten with water...are applied in a thin layer in protected rat and mouse r’unways, baitboxes, or tubes along walls. The powder is picked up by the rodents on their feet

  20. Occurrence and distribution of Giardia species in wild rodents in Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helmy, Yosra A; Spierling, Nastasja G; Schmidt, Sabrina; Rosenfeld, Ulrike M; Reil, Daniela; Imholt, Christian; Jacob, Jens; Ulrich, Rainer G; Aebischer, Toni; Klotz, Christian

    2018-03-27

    Giardiasis is an important gastrointestinal parasitic disease in humans and other mammals caused by the protozoan Giardia duodenalis. This species complex is represented by genetically distinct groups (assemblages A-H) with varying zoonotic potential and host preferences. Wild rodents can harbor potentially zoonotic assemblages A and B, and the rodent-specific assemblage G. Other Giardia spp. found in these animals are Giardia muris and Giardia microti. For the latter, only limited information on genetic typing is available. It has been speculated that wild rodents might represent an important reservoir for parasites causing human giardiasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and distribution of Giardia spp. and assemblage types in wild rodents from different study sites in Germany. Screening of 577 wild rodents of the genera Apodemus, Microtus and Myodes, sampled at eleven study sites in Germany, revealed a high overall Giardia prevalence. Giardia species determination at the SSU rDNA gene locus revealed that Apodemus mice, depending on species, were predominantly infected with one of two distinct G. muris sequence types. Giardia microti was the predominant parasite species found in voles of the genera Microtus and Myodes. Only a few animals were positive for potentially zoonotic G. duodenalis. Subtyping at the beta-giardin (bg) and glutamine dehydrogenase (gdh) genes strongly supported the existence of different phylogenetic subgroups of G. microti that are preferentially harbored by distinct host species. The present study highlights the preference of G. muris for Apodemus, and G. microti for Microtus and Myodes hosts and argues for a very low prevalence of zoonotic G. duodenalis assemblages in wild rodents in Germany. It also provides evidence that G. muris and G. microti subdivide into several phylogenetically distinguishable subgroups, each of which appears to be preferentially harbored by species of a particular rodent host genus

  1. The bioeconomics of controlling an African rodent pest species

    OpenAIRE

    Skonhoft, Anders; Herwig, Leirs; Andreassen, Harry Peter; Mulungu, Loth S. A.; Stenseth, Nils Christian

    2006-01-01

    The paper treats the economy of controlling an African pest rodent, the multimammate rat, causing major damage in maize production. An ecological population model is presented and used as a basis for the economic analyses carried out at the village level using data from Tanzania. This model incorporates both density-dependent and density-independent (stochastic) factors. Rodents are controlled by applying poison, and the economic benefits depend on the income from maize production minus the c...

  2. Domestic cats and dogs create a landscape of fear for pest rodents around rural homesteads.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Themb'alilahlwa A M Mahlaba

    Full Text Available Using domestic predators such as cats to control rodent pest problems around farms and homesteads is common across the world. However, practical scientific evidence on the impact of such biological control in agricultural settings is often lacking. We tested whether the presence of domestic cats and/or dogs in rural homesteads would affect the foraging behaviour of pest rodents. We estimated giving up densities (GUDs from established feeding patches and estimated relative rodent activity using tracking tiles at 40 homesteads across four agricultural communities. We found that the presence of cats and dogs at the same homestead significantly reduced activity and increased GUDs (i.e. increased perception of foraging cost of pest rodent species. However, if only cats or dogs alone were present at the homestead there was no observed difference in rodent foraging activity in comparison to homesteads with no cats or dogs. Our results suggest that pest rodent activity can be discouraged through the presence of domestic predators. When different types of predator are present together they likely create a heightened landscape of fear for foraging rodents.

  3. Protozoan Parasites of Rodents and Their Zoonotic Significance in Boyer-Ahmad District, Southwestern Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeinab Seifollahi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Backgrounds. Wild rodents are reservoirs of various zoonotic diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, babesiosis, and leishmaniasis. The current study aimed to assess the protozoan infection of rodents in Boyer-Ahmad district, southwestern Iran. Materials and Methods. A total of 52 rodents were collected from different parts of Boyer-Ahmad district, in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, using Sherman live traps. Each rodent was anesthetized with ether, according to the ethics of working with animals, and was dissected. Samples were taken from various tissues and stool samples were collected from the contents of the colon and small intestines. Moreover, 2 to 5 mL of blood was taken from each of the rodents and the sera were examined for anti-Leishmania antibodies, by ELISA, or anti-T. gondii antibodies, by modified agglutination test (MAT. DNA was extracted from brain tissue samples of each rodent and PCR was used to identify the DNA of T. gondii. Results. Of the 52 stool samples of rodents studied by parasitological methods, intestinal protozoa infection was seen in 28 cases (53.8%. From 52 rodents, 19 (36.5% were infected with Trichomonas, 10 (19.2% with Giardia muris, and 11 (21.2% with Entamoeba spp. Also, 10 cases (19.2% were infected with Blastocystis, 3 (5.8% were infected with Chilomastix, 7 (13.5% were infected with Endolimax, 1 (1.9% was infected with Retortamonas, 3 (5.77% were infected with T. gondii, and 6 (11.54% were infected with Trypanosoma lewisi. Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in the sera of 5 (9.61% cases. Results of the molecular study showed T. gondii infection in 3 (5.77% of the rodents. Findings of this study showed that rodents in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province, southwestern Iran, are infected with several blood and intestinal parasites; some of them might be potential risks to residents and domestic animals in the region.

  4. Population response of rodents to control with rodenticides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.V. TCHABOVSKY

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available We summarize theoretical approaches and practice of rodent pest control in Russia and former USSR during last 50 years. We review literature as well as original data to understand mechanisms of rodent populations recovery after chemical control campaigns in urban areas, agricultural lands and natural foci of plague. Laboratory and field experiments indicate that inherent individual variation in behavioural, physiological and life-history traits provides survival of heterogeneous mix of individuals in residual population with increased resistance to poisonous baits and high reproductive potential that leads to fast recovery of a population. In a series of field experiments with various rodent and lagomorph species (Mus musculus, Rattus norvegicus, Meriones unguiculatus, M.meridianus, M.tamariscinus, Ochotona pallasii we have shown that patterns of recolonization of depopulated area and mechanisms of population recovery vary among species and depend on species-specific social organization. After control territorial and group-living species demonstrated an increase in mobility and affiliative and marking behaviour and a decrease in intraspecific aggression. The rate of recolonization of treated areas was high due to redistribution of survived individuals and immigration by neighbors. Population recovered to original level due to increased breeding performance and fecundity of both survived residents and immigrants. In contrast, socially-independent species exhibited minor changes in behaviour. Recolonization was mainly due to better survival and recruitment of youngs, so the rate of recolonization was low. Species-specificity of behavioural compensation mechanisms to control should be considered when developing ecologically based rodent management strategies.

  5. an ecological study on rodents of natural vegetation and farm lands ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

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    habitat association of rodents was conducted in Siltie natural vegetation and nearby farmlands ... In each habitat type, one representative grid was selected for live trapping. In addition, rodents were also snap- trapped from these habitats. A total of 562 captures was made .... into seeds, leaves, roots, earthworms and arthro-.

  6. Inhibition of proteasomal proteolysis affects expression of extracellular matrix components and steroidogenesis in porcine oocyte-cumulus complexes

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Nagyová, Eva; Scsuková, S.; Němcová, Lucie; Mlynarčíková, A.; Yi, Y.J.; Sutovky, M.; Sutovsky, P.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 42, č. 1 (2012), s. 50-62 ISSN 0739-7240 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP502/11/0593 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : Oocyte-cumulus complex * TNFAIP6 * HAS2 * Progesterone * Ubiquitin * Proteasome Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 2.377, year: 2012

  7. Generation and Validation of Intracellular Ubiquitin Variant Inhibitors for USP7 and USP10

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Wei; Sartori, Maria A.; Makhnevych, Taras; Federowicz, Kelly E.; Dong, Xiaohui; Liu, Li; Nim, Satra; Dong, Aiping; Yang, Jingsong; Li, Yanjun; Haddad, Dania; Ernst, Andreas; Heerding, Dirk; Tong, Yufeng; Moffat, Jason; Sidhu, Sachdev S.

    2017-11-01

    Post-translational modification of the p53 signaling pathway plays an important role in cell cycle progression and stress-induced apoptosis. Indeed, a large body of work has shown that dysregulation of p53 and its E3 ligase MDM2 by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) promotes carcinogenesis and malignant transformation. Thus, drug discovery efforts have focused on the restoration of wild-type p53 activity or inactivation of oncogenic mutant p53 by targeted inhibition of UPS components, particularly key deubiquitinases (DUBs) of the ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) class. However, development of selective small-molecule USP inhibitors has been challenging, partly due to the highly conserved structural features of the catalytic sites across the class. To tackle this problem, we devised a protein engineering strategy for rational design of inhibitors for DUBs and other UPS proteins. We employed a phage-displayed ubiquitin variant (UbV) library to develop inhibitors targeting the DUBs USP7 and USP10, which are involved in regulating levels of p53 and MDM2. We were able to identify UbVs that bound USP7 or USP10 with high affinity and inhibited deubiquitination activity. We solved the crystal structure of UbV.7.2 and rationalized the molecular basis for enhanced affinity and specificity for USP7. Finally, cell death was increased significantly by UbV.7.2 expression in a colon cancer cell line that was treated with the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of inhibiting USP7 by this approach

  8. Small rodents as paratenic or intermediate hosts of carnivore parasites in Berlin, Germany.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krücken, Jürgen; Blümke, Julia; Maaz, Denny; Demeler, Janina; Ramünke, Sabrina; Antolová, Daniela; Schaper, Roland; von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Georg

    2017-01-01

    Rodents are important intermediate and paratenic hosts for carnivore parasites, including the important zoonotic agents Toxoplasma, Echinococcus and Toxocara. Monitoring of such parasites in rodents can be used to detect increasing risks for human and veterinary public health. Rodents were trapped at four sites in Berlin, two near the city center, two at the periphery. PCRs were conducted to detect Coccidia (target ITS-1) and specifically Toxoplasma gondii (repetitive element) in brain and ascarids (ITS-2) in muscle or brain tissue. During necropsies, metacestodes were collected and identified using ITS-2 and 12S rRNA PCRs. An ELISA to detect antibodies against Toxocara canis ES antigens was performed. Within the 257 examined rodents, the most frequently observed parasite was Frenkelia glareoli predominantly found in Myodes glareolus. T. gondii was only detected in 12 rodents and Microtus spp. (although strongly underrepresented) had a significantly increased chance of being positive. Neither Echinococcus nor typical Taenia parasites of dogs and cats were found but Mesocestoides litteratus and Taenia martis metacestodes were identified which can cause severe peritoneal or ocular cysticercosis in dogs, primates and humans. Using PCR, the ascarids T. canis (n = 8), Toxocara cati (4) and Parascaris sp. (1) were detected predominantly in muscles. Seroprevalence of T. canis was 14.2% and ELISA was thus more sensitive than PCR to detect infection with this parasite. Non-parametric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis revealed that parasite communities could be grouped into an urban and a peri-urban cluster with high frequency of ascarid-positive rodents in urban and high frequency of F. glareoli in peri-urban sites. Prevalence rates of parasites in rodents with potential impact for human or veterinary public health are considerable and the monitoring of transmission cycles of carnivore parasites in intermediate rodent hosts is recommended to estimate the health

  9. Small rodents as paratenic or intermediate hosts of carnivore parasites in Berlin, Germany.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jürgen Krücken

    Full Text Available Rodents are important intermediate and paratenic hosts for carnivore parasites, including the important zoonotic agents Toxoplasma, Echinococcus and Toxocara. Monitoring of such parasites in rodents can be used to detect increasing risks for human and veterinary public health. Rodents were trapped at four sites in Berlin, two near the city center, two at the periphery. PCRs were conducted to detect Coccidia (target ITS-1 and specifically Toxoplasma gondii (repetitive element in brain and ascarids (ITS-2 in muscle or brain tissue. During necropsies, metacestodes were collected and identified using ITS-2 and 12S rRNA PCRs. An ELISA to detect antibodies against Toxocara canis ES antigens was performed. Within the 257 examined rodents, the most frequently observed parasite was Frenkelia glareoli predominantly found in Myodes glareolus. T. gondii was only detected in 12 rodents and Microtus spp. (although strongly underrepresented had a significantly increased chance of being positive. Neither Echinococcus nor typical Taenia parasites of dogs and cats were found but Mesocestoides litteratus and Taenia martis metacestodes were identified which can cause severe peritoneal or ocular cysticercosis in dogs, primates and humans. Using PCR, the ascarids T. canis (n = 8, Toxocara cati (4 and Parascaris sp. (1 were detected predominantly in muscles. Seroprevalence of T. canis was 14.2% and ELISA was thus more sensitive than PCR to detect infection with this parasite. Non-parametric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis revealed that parasite communities could be grouped into an urban and a peri-urban cluster with high frequency of ascarid-positive rodents in urban and high frequency of F. glareoli in peri-urban sites. Prevalence rates of parasites in rodents with potential impact for human or veterinary public health are considerable and the monitoring of transmission cycles of carnivore parasites in intermediate rodent hosts is recommended to

  10. From the bench to the bedside: emerging new treatments in multiple myeloma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitsiades, Constantine S.; Hayden, Patrick J.; Anderson, Kenneth C.; Richardson, Paul G.

    2012-01-01

    Within the last decade, several novel classes of anti-myeloma therapeutics have become available. The clinical successes achieved by thalidomide, lenalidomide, and the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib, and in particular the ability of these agents to lead to major clinical responses in patients resistant to conventional or high-dose chemotherapy, have highlighted the importance of expanding even further the spectrum of classes of agents utilized for the treatment of myeloma. Herein, we review the current state of the field of development of novel anti-myeloma agents, with emphasis on classes of therapeutics which have already translated into clinical trials or those in advanced stages of preclinical development. These include second-generation proteasome inhibitors (NPI-0052 and PR-171), heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) inhibitors, 2-methoxyestradiol, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors (e.g. SAHA, tubacin and LBH589), fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGF-R3) inhibitors, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and agents targeting the tumor microenvironment, including defibrotide. PMID:18070720

  11. Prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella strains in rodents from northwestern Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubio, André V; Ávila-Flores, Rafael; Osikowicz, Lynn M; Bai, Ying; Suzán, Gerardo; Kosoy, Michael Y

    2014-12-01

    Bartonella infections were investigated in wild rodents from northwestern Chihuahua, Mexico. A total of 489 rodents belonging to 14 species were surveyed in four areas. Bartonella bacteria were cultured from 50.1% of rodent samples (245/489). Infection rates ranged from 0% to 83.3% per rodent species, with no significant difference between sites except for Cynomys ludovicianus. Phylogenetic analyses of the citrate synthase gene (gltA) of the Bartonella isolates revealed 23 genetic variants (15 novel and 8 previously described), clustering into five phylogroups. Three phylogroups were associated with Bartonella vinsonii subsp. vinsonii, B. vinsonii subsp. arupensis, and B. washoensis, respectively. The other two phylogroups were not genetically related to any known Bartonella species. The genetic variants and phylogenetic groups exhibited a high degree of host specificity, mainly at the genus and family levels. This is the first study that describes the genetic diversity of Bartonella strains in wild rodents from Mexico. Considering that some variants found in this study are associated with Bartonella species that have been reported as zoonotic, more investigations are needed to further understand the ecology of Bartonella species in Mexican wildlife and their implications for human health.

  12. Synanthropic rodents as possible reservoirs of shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ximena eBlanco Crivelli

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Shigatoxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC strains are worldwide zoonotic pathogen responsible for different cases of human disease including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS. Transmission of STEC to humans occurs through the consumption of food and water contaminated by faeces of carriers and by person-to-person contact.The objective of this study was twofold: (a to investigate whether synanthropic rodents are possible reservoirs of STEC in the urban area and (b whether a particular genus out of synanthropic rodent is the principal carrier of STEC.One hundred forty-five rodents were captured in Buenos Aires City. Screening for stx1/stx2 and rfbO157 was done by PCR from the confluence zone. STEC isolates were further characterized with biochemical tests by standard methods. Additional virulence factors (eae, ehxA and saa were also determined by PCR. Forty-one of the rodents were necropsied and sample of kidney and small and large intestine were taken for histopathological diagnosis. The samples sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin, and observed by light microscopy to evaluate the systemic involvement of these species in natural infections. STEC was isolated from seven out of twenty seven suspect animals at screening. The following genotypes were found in the STEC strains: stx1/stx2/ehxA (1, stx2 (4, stx2/ehxA (1, stx2/ehxA/eae (1. Neither gross nor microscopic lesions compatible with those produced by Shiga toxin were observed in the studied organs of necropsied rodents.The bivariate analysis including the hundred forty-five rodents data showed that the isolation of STEC is associated positively to Rattus genus. This synanthropic species may play a role in the transmissibility of the agent thus being a risk to the susceptible population. Their control should be included specifically in actions to dismiss the contamination of food and water by STEC in the urban area, as additional strategies for epidemiological control.

  13. BEHAVIOURAL STUDIES ON SOME RHODESIAN RODENTS

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    behaviour, . courtship, parental and juvenile behaviour and activity patterns. ... behavioural observations were facilitated by the development of a glass-fronted ~'double-storey" cage which ..... Adolescent siblings in both single sex and mixed groups ..... Wild rodents as Laboratory Animals and their contribution to medical.

  14. Vision in laboratory rodents-Tools to measure it and implications for behavioral research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leinonen, Henri; Tanila, Heikki

    2017-07-29

    Mice and rats are nocturnal mammals and their vision is specialized for detection of motion and contrast in dim light conditions. These species possess a large proportion of UV-sensitive cones in their retinas and the majority of their optic nerve axons target superior colliculus rather than visual cortex. Therefore, it was a widely held belief that laboratory rodents hardly utilize vision during day-time behavior. This dogma is being questioned as accumulating evidence suggests that laboratory rodents are able to perform complex visual functions, such as perceiving subjective contours, and that declined vision may affect their performance in many behavioral tasks. For instance, genetic engineering may have unexpected consequences on vision as mouse models of Alzheimer's and Huntington's diseases have declined visual function. Rodent vision can be tested in numerous ways using operant training or reflex-based behavioral tasks, or alternatively using electrophysiological recordings. In this article, we will first provide a summary of visual system and explain its characteristics unique to rodents. Then, we present well-established techniques to test rodent vision, with an emphasis on pattern vision: visual water test, optomotor reflex test, pattern electroretinography and pattern visual evoked potentials. Finally, we highlight the importance of visual phenotyping in rodents. As the number of genetically engineered rodent models and volume of behavioral testing increase simultaneously, the possibility of visual dysfunctions needs to be addressed. Neglect in this matter potentially leads to crude biases in the field of neuroscience and beyond. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. A test of five mechanisms of species coexistence between rodents in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    A test of five mechanisms of species coexistence between rodents in a southern African savanna. M.R. Perrin, B.P. Kotler. Abstract. The operation of five different mechanisms of species coexistence in a community of rodents was examined in a semi-arid Kalahari savanna in southern Africa. The two most common species ...

  16. Multi-level Strategy for Identifying Proteasome-Catalyzed Spliced Epitopes Targeted by CD8+ T Cells during Bacterial Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anouk C.M. Platteel

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Proteasome-catalyzed peptide splicing (PCPS generates peptides that are presented by MHC class I molecules, but because their identification is challenging, the immunological relevance of spliced peptides remains unclear. Here, we developed a reverse immunology-based multi-level approach to identify proteasome-generated spliced epitopes. Applying this strategy to a murine Listeria monocytogenes infection model, we identified two spliced epitopes within the secreted bacterial phospholipase PlcB that primed antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in L. monocytogenes-infected mice. While reacting to the spliced epitopes, these CD8+ T cells failed to recognize the non-spliced peptide parts in the context of their natural flanking sequences. Thus, we here show that PCPS expands the CD8+ T cell response against L. monocytogenes by exposing spliced epitopes on the cell surface. Moreover, our multi-level strategy opens up opportunities to systematically investigate proteins for spliced epitope candidates and thus strategies for immunotherapies or vaccine design.

  17. Graded Proteasome Dysfunction in Caenorhabditis elegans Activates an Adaptive Response Involving the Conserved SKN-1 and ELT-2 Transcription Factors and the Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott A Keith

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The maintenance of cellular proteins in a biologically active and structurally stable state is a vital endeavor involving multiple cellular pathways. One such pathway is the ubiquitin-proteasome system that represents a major route for protein degradation, and reductions in this pathway usually have adverse effects on the health of cells and tissues. Here, we demonstrate that loss-of-function mutants of the Caenorhabditis elegans proteasome subunit, RPN-10, exhibit moderate proteasome dysfunction and unexpectedly develop both increased longevity and enhanced resistance to multiple threats to the proteome, including heat, oxidative stress, and the presence of aggregation prone proteins. The rpn-10 mutant animals survive through the activation of compensatory mechanisms regulated by the conserved SKN-1/Nrf2 and ELT-2/GATA transcription factors that mediate the increased expression of genes encoding proteasome subunits as well as those mediating oxidative- and heat-stress responses. Additionally, we find that the rpn-10 mutant also shows enhanced activity of the autophagy-lysosome pathway as evidenced by increased expression of the multiple autophagy genes including atg-16.2, lgg-1, and bec-1, and also by an increase in GFP::LGG-1 puncta. Consistent with a critical role for this pathway, the enhanced resistance of the rpn-10 mutant to aggregation prone proteins depends on autophagy genes atg-13, atg-16.2, and prmt-1. Furthermore, the rpn-10 mutant is particularly sensitive to the inhibition of lysosome activity via either RNAi or chemical means. We also find that the rpn-10 mutant shows a reduction in the numbers of intestinal lysosomes, and that the elt-2 gene also plays a novel and vital role in controlling the production of functional lysosomes by the intestine. Overall, these experiments suggest that moderate proteasome dysfunction could be leveraged to improve protein homeostasis and organismal health and longevity, and that the rpn-10 mutant

  18. Lactate is oxidized outside of the mitochondrial matrix in rodent brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herbst, Eric A F; George, Mitchell A J; Brebner, Karen; Holloway, Graham P; Kane, Daniel A

    2018-05-01

    The nature and existence of mitochondrial lactate oxidation is debated in the literature. Obscuring the issue are disparate findings in isolated mitochondria, as well as relatively low rates of lactate oxidation observed in permeabilized muscle fibres. However, respiration with lactate has yet to be directly assessed in brain tissue with the mitochondrial reticulum intact. To determine if lactate is oxidized in the matrix of brain mitochondria, oxygen consumption was measured in saponin-permeabilized mouse brain cortex samples, and rat prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (dorsal) subregions. While respiration in the presence of ADP and malate increased with the addition of lactate, respiration was maximized following the addition of exogenous NAD + , suggesting maximal lactate metabolism involves extra-matrix lactate dehydrogenase. This was further supported when NAD + -dependent lactate oxidation was significantly decreased with the addition of either low-concentration α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamate or UK-5099, inhibitors of mitochondrial pyruvate transport. Mitochondrial respiration was comparable between glutamate, pyruvate, and NAD + -dependent lactate oxidation. Results from the current study demonstrate that permeabilized brain is a feasible model for assessing lactate oxidation, and support the interpretation that lactate oxidation occurs outside the mitochondrial matrix in rodent brain.

  19. Aerobic exercise training improves oxidative stress and ubiquitin proteasome system activity in heart of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Andrade, Luiz Henrique Soares; de Moraes, Wilson Max Almeida Monteiro; Matsuo Junior, Eduardo Hiroshi; de Orleans Carvalho de Moura, Elizabeth; Antunes, Hanna Karen Moreira; Montemor, Jairo; Antonio, Ednei Luiz; Bocalini, Danilo Sales; Serra, Andrey Jorge; Tucci, Paulo José Ferreira; Brum, Patricia Chakur; Medeiros, Alessandra

    2015-04-01

    The activity of the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and the level of oxidative stress contribute to the transition from compensated cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure in hypertension. Moreover, aerobic exercise training (AET) is an important therapy for the treatment of hypertension, but its effects on the UPS are not completely known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AET on UPS's activity and oxidative stress level in heart of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). A total of 53 Wistar and SHR rats were randomly divided into sedentary and trained groups. The AET protocol was 5×/week in treadmill for 13 weeks. Exercise tolerance test, non-invasive blood pressure measurement, echocardiographic analyses, and left ventricle hemodynamics were performed during experimental period. The expression of ubiquitinated proteins, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), Akt, phospho-Akt(ser473), GSK3β, and phospho-GSK3β(ser9) were analyzed by western blotting. The evaluation of lipid hydroperoxide concentration was performed using the xylenol orange method, and the proteasomal chymotrypsin-like activity was measured by fluorimetric assay. Sedentary hypertensive group presented cardiac hypertrophy, unaltered expression of total Akt, phospho-Akt, total GSK3β and phospho-GSK3β, UPS hyperactivity, increased lipid hydroperoxidation as well as elevated expression of 4-HNE but normal cardiac function. In contrast, AET significantly increased exercise tolerance, decreased resting systolic blood pressure and heart rate in hypertensive animals. In addition, the AET increased phospho-Akt expression, decreased phospho-GSK3β, and did not alter the expression of total Akt, total GSK3β, and ubiquitinated proteins, however, significantly attenuated 4-HNE levels, lipid hydroperoxidation, and UPS's activity toward normotensive group levels. Our results provide evidence for the main effect of AET on attenuating cardiac ubiquitin proteasome hyperactivity and oxidative stress in SHR

  20. Studies into abnormal aggression in humans and rodents: Methodological and translational aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haller, Jozsef

    2017-05-01

    Here we review the principles based on which aggression is rendered abnormal in humans and laboratory rodents, and comparatively overview the main methodological approaches based on which this behavior is studied in the two categories of subjects. It appears that the discriminating property of abnormal aggression is rule breaking, which renders aggression dysfunctional from the point of view of the perpetrator. We show that rodent models of abnormal aggression were created by the translation of human conditions into rodent equivalents, and discuss how findings obtained with such models may be "translated back" to human conditions when the mechanisms underlying aggression and its possibilities of treatment are investigated. We suggest that the complementary nature of human and rodent research approaches invite a more intense cross-talk between the two sides of aggression research than the one presently observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.